


at a place and underdressed

by coolnool



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, M/M, Slow Burn, also v and rika relationship is not really emphasized at all lol it's just there, first time writing this ship don’t judge, takes place when rika was alive
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 23,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22139998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coolnool/pseuds/coolnool
Summary: "A new member? Are you sure that’s a good idea?" Jumin asked."You need to open up more. Besides, I think it’s best for everyone," V explained."No, it isn’t."Zen joins the RFA, and he has something against Jumin. Jumin wants to change that.
Relationships: 707 | Choi Luciel & Kim Yoosung, Han Jumin & V | Kim Jihyun, Han Jumin/Zen | Ryu Hyun, Implied Rika/V | Kim Jihyun
Comments: 30
Kudos: 129





	1. torn pages

**Author's Note:**

> Ok wow I’m writing this. Big note: This takes place *before* Rika dies. Jumin does not have Jaehee as his assistant (yet). The RFA has been created (sort of), but they haven’t had any parties and haven’t planned anything yet. So don’t be confused.
> 
> And I know I have Rika/V on the tags but that's just because they're engaged at the time, their relationship isn't really shown that much lol.
> 
> This is like really slow burn so if you don't want to wait that long skip maybe 5 chapters idk. sorry i wanted to keep it realistic.

"A new member? Are you sure that's a good idea?" He sighed as he started to sort through paperwork, making sure to keep the phone leaned by his ear.

"Jumin, you need to open up a bit more and make some more friends. Besides, I think it’s best for everyone." The other man laughed a bit, though it sounded forced, like it always did, which only made Jumin groan more.

"Jihyun, I do trust you and Rika, so I'm sure whoever is joining is a great person. But we already have you, me, Rika, Luciel, and that kid, her cousin—Yoosung," Jumin tried to convince him.

"And you think five people is enough?"

"Yes."

Jumin knew V didn't like it when he acted like this. Jumin didn't really like it himself either. Jumin waited for a reply when V said, "You know how Rika has been watching a lot of musical performances onstage lately?"

"I remember."

"Well, it's mostly because she's a big fan of a musical actor. His name is Hyun Ryu," V explained. Jumin thought for a moment. Hyun Ryu rolled off the tongue in an odd way. He wasn't sure if he liked it.

Not that anything like that mattered anyway. Jumin shouldn't judge people on just their names, not that anyone should.

"Are you still there?" V asked, concerned by Jumin's long period of silence.

"Mm-hmm, I was just..." he stopped speaking abruptly. "I guess you can go ahead and elaborate on this 'Hyun'."

"Well, his stage name is Zen. Like I said, he's a musical actor, but he's very underrated. Rika agrees that he has amazing singing and acting skills. He's also very good-looking..." V trailed off.

"Jihyun." Jumin said V's name a bit more forcefully then he intended. "Are you trying to imply something?"

"Imply something? You asked me to elaborate, I don't..."

"Please don't," Jumin said as he sighed. He finished signing a stack of papers when his assistant came in. "Despite what the media says, I'm not ga—" Jumin glanced up and stopped speaking.

"You're not what?" V asked from the phone, but it was barely audible as Jumin had moved the phone away from his ear to talk with his assistant. "What do you want?" Jumin tried not to grit his teeth, but he was annoyed and frustrated at the moment. Why did his assistant need to come _now_ of all times? And why didn't he knock at least before entering? He disliked his assistant so much. 

"I, uh, I got another job offer," Jumin's assistant said nervously, staring at the floor instead of his employer's dark eyes. Jumin hated how nervous his assistant was. It was always so hard to be with his assistant in business conventions as the guy would not talk to anyone or aid Jumin like he was supposed to. Jumin didn't even know how his assistant got this position and was able to meet all the qualifications.

"Please stop taking so long to speak. I'm on a call," Jumin said, hoping to hurry his assistant.

"Well, uh." He spoke sheepishly. "I'm quitting."

Jumin glanced up again, slightly surprised. Did he hear that right? "Quitting..?"

"Y-Yes, Mr. Han. I was going to send an email but my computer wasn't working. I'm sorry to tell this on short notice but—"

"Go. Go away then. If you're not my assistant anymore, depart my presence at this moment." Jumin was really pissed now. Because of this, he'll have to find another assistant. He couldn't see anything good coming out of that. But at least he didn't have to talk to that guy anymore.

Maybe he didn't need an assistant. He didn't dislike _all_ his work, especially his cat projects. It distracted him in a way, so if he did it all himself...

No. Of course not. Why would he do such a thing when he already can't handle work as it is? Here he was, working overtime in the night for no extra pay, and talking with his best friend over the phone. Jumin took in a deep breath, in and out, when V spoke again.

"Who was that?"

Jumin hesitated. This was great. "My assistant. He's quitting."

"Q-Quitting?" V stammered, something that didn't usually happen. He must have been just as surprised as Jumin.

"Yes, and... I'll have to find a new assistant now, I suppose," Jumin said.

"Wow. I see. I guess you'll be busy then." V hesitated. "But please consider having Hyun join the RFA. I know I'm technically the leader, but I want you to have some kind of say in the matter too."

So V never did change the topic. "I have never even met Hyun before," Jumin stated.

V didn't respond. It was true that Jumin had only just heard of Hyun from what V said. "Well, that's true. So, I'm thinking that the entire RFA should meet Hyun at my house."

Jumin took in a breath. That was new. Something told him that he should meet this Hyun. Maybe V was right in that Jumin needed to open up bit more. "Everyone?"

"Yes. I haven't set a date yet, but I'll probably mention it in the chatrooms."

"Okay." Jumin balanced the phone by lifting his shoulder and leaned forward towards the cabinets near his desk. He opened a file cabinet neatly organized containing all the applications to be Jumin's assistant. The pile was a lot bigger than he intially thought.

V decided Jumin was pretty busy and said, "Well, I know you'll have to look at applications again. I could help you if you'd like."

"No, it's fine," Jumin denied. "I'm sure it won't take that long."

"You're going to do it _now_?" V said in surprise. "Work tomorrow, Jumin. You spend more time in your office than in your penthouse, really."

Jumin stared at his desktop computer, which was powered off. He could see his blank eyes reflecting back. It was almost midnight. Jumin also saw the start of bags forming under his eyes as well.

"You know what?" Jumin said. "I believe you may be right. I should get some sleep. And, you should go to bed too. You've been talking with me for far too long."

"Wow, I'm glad you finally listened to me." Another one of V's laughs escaped his mouth. It was fake and it was forced.

Jumin hated it when V does that.

"I guess I'll see you soon?" Jumin presumed.

"Yep. The meet-up with Hyun will be sometime this week. Bye," V replied.

Jumin hesitated. Should he say bye back? He looked back at the phone and noticed that V had already hung up anyway.

He put on his jacket and called up Driver Kim to come pick him up, only to learn that he was already parked in the front of the building. Jumin left the C&R building and got into his car, and the two headed off back to his penthouse.

When Jumin got home, he was met with utter silence. He found his cat sleeping peacefully in his bed. "Thank goodness." He breathed a sigh of relief. V and his fiancée, Rika, had gotten Elizabeth the 3rd for Jumin's birthday only a few months ago. Rika had mentioned to Jumin before that he was very lonely and insisted on getting Elizabeth for him. At first, he declined, thinking a cat would just be another burden on him. But instead, he started to grow attached to Elizabeth the 3rd, and enjoyed spending time with his cat. Still, he felt very bad that he had to leave his cat alone at his penthouse every weekday when he went to work.

He laid down in his bed, carefully moving Elizabeth back to her own sleeping area. Jumin was way too exhausted to change out of his suit. As soon as he had laid down, he realised just how little sleep he had gotten and he quickly dozed off.

However, while Jumin was sleeping, next to him, his phone buzzed with notifications from a new chatroom.

-

**[new chatroom] Meeting up**

_V has entered the chatroom._

**V:** Hello??

 **V:** I know it's pretty late, but have a quick announcement I'd like to make.

_707 has entered the chatroom._

**707:** Heyyyy!

 **707:** An announcement!!!!!????? Yayyyyy something interesting!

 **V:** Wow, Luciel. I didn't think you'd still be awake.

 **707:** Lololol hackers like me don't get any sleep anyway

 **707:** So what'd u wanna say??

 **V:** Right.

 **V:** I was thinking of having the RFA meet up at my house. Sometime this week.

 **707:** Wow, for what?

 **V:** Well, do you remember who Hyun Ryu is? The actor that Rika knows?

 **707:** Oh, I remember!!

 **707:** didnt you like... save his life or something?

 **V:** I did. So now he felt inclined do something in return. 

**V:** Rika suggested to have him join the RFA. She's pretty good friends with him now. Since you, Jumin, and Yoosung haven't met Hyun yet, I'd like to invite him as well.

 **707:** Oooooh!! Yay!

 **707:** I think we should definitely get a new member! The more the merrier! :DDDD

 **V:** Really?

 **V:** Jumin thought otherwise.

 **707:** Jumin...?

 **707:** Of course he doesn't wanna new member.

 **707:** He's super reserved and keeps to himself all the time. And I guess he doesn't want a new person because he likes the RFA as it is or something

 **V:** Yeah, that's kinda what he told me earlier.

 **V:** I've known him for a long time, and... I guess you could say he holds the RFA very closely to his heart.

 **707:** Jumin has a heart???? lol

 **V:** No, really. He cares for all of us and I think that having a new person to have to think about is a lot.

 **707:** Wow. I think Jumin's overthinking it lol

 **707:** it's not gonna be that much of a big deal

 **707:** Zen... or Hyun??? what's his name??

 **V:** His name is Hyun Ryu but his stage name is Zen.

 **707:** stage name??

 **707:** Oh!!! right! he's! an! actor!

 **707:** Well anyway

 **707:** I think you should go ahead and invite him over

 **707:** Then we can learn more about him there and make a decision based on that!!

 **V:** Okay. That sounds like a good idea.

 **707:** Of course!! ya know i always have the best ideas lololol

 **V:** You usually do, haha.

 **V:** Oh.

 **V:** Rika wants me for something.

 **V:** I'll see you soon?

 **707:** See ya~

_V has left the chatroom._

**707:** Yayayayaya~~~~ we're gonna have a new member

 **707:** I can't wait to meet you Zen!!!!!!!!!!!

_707 has left the chatroom._

_-_


	2. second thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The RFA meets up with their new member, Zen. Jumin becomes acquaintances with the actor, but it's obvious Zen has something against him. Jumin doesn't know what, though.

\- a few days later -

"Zen is super kind and sweet! Why are you feeling hesitant?" Jumin felt Rika gaze at his eyes intently. He loved and hated that gaze from her at the same time. It felt like she was looking through him.

"I'm not really sure," he replied quietly. Jumin wasn't sure how exactly how to put it. He didn't really like Rika asking either.

"Y'know, people can change. You can change too! Think of this as an opportunity," Rika explained, hoping Jumin would understand what she meant.

"An opportunity... you're right." Jumin glanced at her for a moment. "I'll think about it."

The two were heading to V's house to meet the rest of the RFA plus Zen, and Jumin honestly didn't know why he was nervous. He's met hundreds of business partners and such thanks to his job, so this should be fairly similar. But at the same time, it wasn't.

His hand reached for the cuff on his suit jacket to fidget with, but he wasn't wearing a jacket. Or a suit, for the matter. Jumin was actually wearing a simple button up shirt. V had told him not to wear a suit. "Seriously, that's all you wear,” he had told Jumin.

Rika watched him and laughed. "You fidget so much.”

Jumin looked out the window. "Everyone has habits like these," he muttered in annoyance.

Rika didn't reply, and instead shifted her gaze away from Jumin. Thank goodness, Jumin thought.

The two continued to sit in the car awkwardly. Jumin was wondering if Zen would actually join RFA and how that would affect the others. He had read the messages that Seven had written a few evenings ago, and Jumin didn't know why Seven thought he was overthinking it.

In his opinion, it was more like Seven was underthinking it. As he got out his phone to check the time, he noticed a new chatroom had opened.

**[new chatroom] V's house**

When Jumin opened the messenger app and pressed the button for the chatroom, the only other people online were Rika (who was sitting right beside Jumin), and Yoosung (who was already at V's house).

_Yoosung has joined the chatroom._

_Rika has joined the chatroom._

**Yoosung** : Hiiii Rikaaa!

 **Rika** : Hey Yoosung. Have you arrived at V's house yet?

 **Yoosung** : Oh, yeah! Did you know V has cookies?

 **Yoosung** : They taste great!

 **Rika** : Cool! I like cookies too. What kind are they?

 **Yoosung** : Chocolate chip!! My favorite!

_Jumin Han has joined the chatroom._

**Jumin Han** : Hi, Rika. Hello, Yoosung.

 **Yoosung** : Oh, hey, Jumin! Aren't you with Rika rn? 

**Jumin Han** : Yes, I am. She's practically watching me type. 

**Rika** : Oops~ sorry Jumin lol

 **Rika** : Oh, Yoosung, how did your test at school go?

 **Yoosung** : Really great, actually! I got one of the highest scores in the class!

 **Jumin Han** : You know, my assistant recently quit. Maybe Yoosung could be my new one.

 **Yoosung** : I’m not even in college yet;; lol

 **Rika** : Yeah Jumin, don't be silly

 **Jumin Han:** I was just kidding. 

**Jumin Han** : But Yoosung, you really are a hard worker. I hope you keep it up through college. 

**Yoosung** : Wow, thanks. But you're a way harder worker than me. 

**Yoosung:** You're not that much older than me but you're a CEO in line, a corporate director..

 **Yoosung** : and i'm nothing...

 **Jumin Han** : You're not wrong that I worked hard to get where I am, but..

 **Rika** : Jumin was born to a rich family. He inherited a lot too.

 **Jumin Han** : That's true. But Yoosung, you're on a good path and I'm sure you can accomplish just as much as I did.

 **Yoosung** : Yeah...

 **Yoosung** : Maybe I can make my own business someday!

 **Rika:** That's the spirit !!

 **Jumin Han** : I know I was kidding about you being my assistant, but perhaps you can intern at C&R? I'm sure it'll give you some good experience.

 **Jumin Han** : And it could look good on applications and such.

 **Yoosung** : Wow, really? :D

 **Yoosung** : Do you really think I'm qualified for something like that?

 **Jumin Han** : Of course. You have excellent grades and a good work ethic.

 **Yoosung** : Thanks, but honestly Rika helped me a lot too 

**Rika** : Oh, it’s nothing~~

 **Yoosung** : Really!! If you hadn't helped me, I probably would've been some kind of loser addicted to LOLOL or something

 **Jumin Han:** What's LOLOL?

 **Rika** : I think it's a video game....

 **Yoosung** : Yeah, it is. But I don't really play it since I don't have the time anyway.

Jumin glanced up suddenly when he felt the car come to a complete stop. When he looked out the window, he could see V's (and Rika’s) house. "Let's go," he told Rika as he got outside, holding the door open for her. Jumin stood outside for a moment and typed on his phone. Rika was also doing the same beside him.

 **Jumin Han** : Me and Rika just got here. I'll see you soon.

 **Rika** : Yep!! I'm excited to meet Zen!

 **Yoosung** : Same!!! I'll see you two in a few minutes!

_Jumin Han has left the chatroom._

_Rika has left the chatroom._

_Yoosung has left the chatroom._

Once Jumin had left the chatroom, he turned off his phone and placed it in his pants pocket. Rika did the same, placing her phone in her purse.

"Oh! I forgot to tell you this earlier," Rika suddenly remarked as they walked to the doors.

"Hm? What is it?" Jumin raised his eyebrows the slightest in surprise. "You should've told me when we were in the car."

"Yeah, sorry. Anyways, Zen is still struggling to gain popularity as an actor, so I suggested that you could maybe help him or something?" Rika asked. She didn't seem very sure about the idea herself.

"You mean... like having me give him money?” Jumin questioned. The idea didn't seem so bad. Jumin would be helping Zen in that scenario.

"Yeah."

"Sure. From what you said, he has a lot of potential, and if it benefits him as well, I guess I'll talk to him about it," Jumin answered. “I don’t know him personally very well, though.”

"Oh, great! I'm sure Zen will be really pleased!" Rika exclaimed happily. She grinned as Jumin eyed her silently.

"Why are you so excited about that?" Jumin asked.

"It's just, I've been a big fan of Zen ever since he started his career, and a big boost thanks to you would mean just as much to me as it would him!!" Rika explained with just as much enthusiasm.

"Alright. You have a point,” Jumin answered as he entered V's house and saw many people already sitting on the couch. There was V himself of course, and Yoosung right across to him, happily eating the cookies that were on the coffee table in the middle. 

Next to Yoosung was Seven, who was also eating cookies as well as a bag of chips he must have brought himself. And next to Seven was...

"Hi everyone!" Rika greeted. Everyone else waved at her cheerfully, while V and Zen started to make conversation.

"Oh, hey Rika," V smiled brightly at her while Jumin watched the two interact. 

_Fake._

The thoughts started to run through Jumin's head again. He couldn't help it. Jumin could see V's smile was fake. Even in front of V's own fiancée, he wasn't genuinely happy. But he wasn't sure why. V really did love Rika, Jumin was sure about that. But his smiles were never genuine. They were never the same ones he remembered when he was a kid. Something has been off about V for some time, but Jumin couldn’t put his finger on it.

"Hi Rika!" Zen greeted. Jumin did watch Zen for a moment, and he did admit that V was right when he said that Zen has good looks, even in casual clothing. Not to mention, Zen also must work out a lot. Jumin could see Zen's body shape and toned muscles even underneath the actor’s full-sleeved shirt. Not that he was attracted or anything. Being healthy is someone Jumin believed anyone could admire.

Zen was eyeing Jumin suspiciously. Zen glanced at Jumin's attire and expression and said, "Is he your friend?" to Rika.

"Oh yeah. I told you about Jumin, right?" Rika asked Zen. She was sitting across from Zen and on V’s left.

Jumin went ahead and also sat across from Zen, on V’s right.

“My name is Jumin Han,” Jumin said, introducing himself. He wasn’t sure what else to say, so he raised his hand across the table for a handshake.

Zen glanced at Jumin, and then at his outstretched hand. He shook his hand hesitantly, then said, “Wait... you’re Jumin Han? _The_ Jumin Han?”

“What do you mean?” Jumin asked.

“Like, the CEO dude Jumin?” Zen asked.

“Oh yeah. Jumin’s family is very rich and his father is the chairman of C&R,” Rika explained. 

“I knew it.” Zen muttered. Jumin wasn’t sure if the actor was taking that as a good or bad thing. But by Zen's tone, Jumin assumed it was the latter.

He wasn’t sure what to say to that. It felt kind of awkward. Jumin considered what to say next but just as he was about to speak again Yoosung interrupted him.

“Rika, are there any more cookies?” Yoosung asked, breaking the silence.

V stared at the empty plate on the table. “Yoosung... you ate all the cookies?”

“Yeah, sorry. I’m hungry. But Seven had some too.” He pointed to the redhead now munching on some Honey Buddha Chips.

“You realize that was for everyone, right?” V continued. Jumin could tell that V was getting the slightest bit annoyed. The photographer nervously laughed. “I’m sure others wanted to eat them too. Jumin and Rika just got here.”

“Well then, why weren’t you eating them?” Yoosung argued.

“Don't worry everyone. I was about to put some more in the oven.” Rika said. “Just give me a couple minutes.” She got up and left to the kitchen. Yoosung followed her while grinning.

Now only Jumin, Seven, Zen, and V were in the room. Seven told Zen, “My name’s Luciel Choi, by the way. But just call me Seven!”

Zen looked confused. “Seven? Is that like your lucky number or something?”

Luciel laughed. “Haha, no. Well, maybe. It’s just short for 707, which is my name in the chat room.”

“Chat room? Is it like your group chat of some sort?”

“Oh, yeah,” V said. “I forgot to mention that, Hyun. We have an RFA chat room since most of the time we cannot meet in real life.”

“Is it like on social media or something?” Zen asked as he got out his cell phone.

“Not exactly. It’s an app I designed myself,” Seven explained. He showed Zen how to download it.

Jumin, meanwhile, didn’t have much to say, so he was on his own phone scrolling through his emails. Many of them were applications sent from desperate people wanting to be his assistant. He sighed. Jumin really didn’t want to look for a new assistant. He wished he hadn’t snapped at his old assistant so much. Maybe if Jumin was a little nicer, he wouldn’t have to be looking at all these applications. 

Jumin opened some of the applications and read through them. Most of the people applying were women. They had all come from different fields and hobbies. He had stopped on one with a woman named “Jaehee Kang” when a notification popped up.

**[new chatroom] Hey Zennnn!!!!!!**

Jumin reluctantly clicked on the notification.

_ZEN has entered the chatroom._

_707 has entered the chatroom._

_Jumin Han has entered the chatroom._

_V has entered the chatroom._

**ZEN** : So this is the chatroom?

 **707** : Yep!

 **707** : Don’t you like it?

 **ZEN** : It’s pretty cool how you made an app

 **ZEN** : Can you post pictures on here too?

“Can’t we just discuss normally?” Jumin said bluntly. “We’re all sitting near each other. What’s the point of texting?”

Jumin flinched as he felt V’s hand on his arm. “Calm down, Jumin,” V muttered to him. “It’s fine. Zen’s never used this app before.”

“You two are like old men,” Seven told them as he typed on his phone. “I'm just showing Zen how it works." He turned back to his phone. Jumin sighed in annoyance.

**707** : There should be a button with a camera on it. that’s how you post pics

 **707** : Why u asking?

_Jumin Han has left the chatroom._

**ZEN** : [picture]

 **ZEN** : Doesn’t my face look beautiful? lolol

 **707** : woah

 **707** : You look great!!

 **V** : Rika was definitely right when she said you were underrated.

 **V** : I’m going to leave, however. I think Zen understands how it works.

 **707** : Yeah let's leave

 **ZEN** : Ok

_V has left the chatroom._

_707 has left the chatroom._

_ZEN has left the chatroom._

Zen glanced up from his phone. “So, I know that you’re a director of some sort...” Zen said, looking at Jumin, “but what about you, Seven?”

“Haha, I work for a top secret agency,” Seven laughed. When the look on Zen’s face didn’t change, he frowned. “I’m serious, y’know.”

“A top secret agency? Are you not allowed to talk about it?” Zen asked. 

“Kinda, not really. But you’re an actor, right?” Seven replied, trying to turn the conversation away from him. Jumin realized Seven did that a lot. He kept a lot secret, like his job, his childhood, and even his family. No one in the RFA knew much about Seven. Except maybe V or Rika, but Jumin never asked them.

Zen nodded at Seven. “Musical actor, but I’m still new. What about you, V?”

Jumin was watching V, who was watching Seven. “Oh, me?” V replied hesitantly. “I’m a photographer.”

“Don’t be so modest, V,” Jumin said. He glanced at Zen and said, “V’s photos get auctioned off at exhibitions for lots of money.”

Just then, Rika arrived back in the living room with more cookies. “Now, don’t eat all these, Yoosung.”

Yoosung nodded and sat back at the couch. Zen continued the conversation.

“So you’re a professional?” Zen asked.

V nodded.

“Wow, that sounds amazing.”

“It’s nothing much, I mean...” V said. He’s usually very humble of what he does. He took in a breath. “Thank you, though.”

“What about you two?” Zen asked, gesturing to Yoosung and Rika. “Do you guys do anything..?"

“I’m a high schooler,” Yoosung told him.

“Haha, I don’t really do much. I’ve been trying to set up a party currently for RFA, but that’s it,” Rika said.

They talked about a variety of topics, from Zen’s high school years, to Yoosung’s dreams in college, and soon, they had ran out of things to talk about. Jumin still didn’t ask Zen about the business proposal Rika wanted him to make. But he didn’t want to waste this opportunity when everyone was quiet.

“Hyun, I was wondering, er...” Jumin asked as silence started to creep into the atmosphere of the room. His dark-colored eyes darted up to Rika’s. She gave him a thumbs up, as she knew what Jumin was going to ask.

“Call me Zen. What is it?” Though his eyes were bright red, they seemed to soften a bit as Zen looked at Jumin. 

“Zen. Since you’re ‘still new’ to acting, I was wondering if perhaps my company at C&R could aid you.” 

Zen raised his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

“I’m saying that I’d like to give you money so you can pursue more in your career. You might even gain more popularity.” Jumin maintained his eye contact with Zen, even though it felt more awkward every second passed. No one else was talking.

“Just like that? I won’t pay you back?” Zen said suspiciously.

“Consider it a favor from a friend,” Jumin offered. “You could model at C&R, but you don’t have to.”

“I...” Zen paused. “Thanks, but no.”

“What?” Jumin’s eyes averted Zen’s gaze, and he looked at Rika in frustration. She just shrugged. Why did she not care? Jumin looked at the rest of the RFA. They didn’t seem to care either. “I mean, that’s fine too. Just know I’m here to help.”

“It’s fine, I just don’t really like modeling.”

“You don’t have to model, I was merely just suggesting—“

“Just drop it,” the actor interrupted, obviously annoyed. He muttered, “You just have money and nothing else.”

Jumin was speechless. Who was this person, and why was he so rude? He was about to argue back to Zen, but Jumin knew better then that. Zen reminded him of a stubborn businessman who couldn’t distinguish the pros from the cons. Jumin was in front of him, offering a great deal (in fact, it wasn’t even a deal as Zen was not giving anything in return), but Zen rejected it. And for no reason either.

Jumin should’ve been fine, because he could keep his money now, but he wasn’t. He didn’t say anything else, and stared at the floor instead. 

“Do you ride your motorcycle often?” V asked Zen, breaking the silence that Jumin caused. Jumin silently thanked V for removing the awkwardness that he caused.

“Wow! You ride a motorcycle? That’s so cool!” Yoosung said in awe.

“Thanks, but it’s actually a really dangerous hobby. When I was younger...” 

Jumin couldn’t listen anymore. He wanted to leave. He glanced at the door. Jumin couldn’t just leave now, though. He didn’t want to be a coward and run away. It was getting loud. Too loud. Everyone’s voices were tangling the threads in Jumin’s mind. But through the entire thing, he could still see Rika looking at him. She knew. She knew what he was feeling. Jumin hated that.

Zen must’ve had something against Jumin from the start. That had to be it. Jumin thought he was onto something. Why else would he have such a grudge against the corporate director?


	3. private messages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Jumin and Zen talk more in the chatrooms, Zen starts to wonder why he hates Jumin so much.

Private messages are a lot different than texting in the chat room.

They held a different meaning, a different tone, they were just... different. It let the other person know that you wanted to talk to them, and only them. Some people thought private messages were a more heartfelt way of talking to someone, as it was, well, private. Others didn't think much of it.

Hyun Ryu, though, took private messages as some kind of insult. Especially when it came from Jumin Han, the CEO in-line that just won’t stop annoying him.

_Jumin Han: I apologise for earlier._

That’s all the message said. An apology. Zen typed out a response:

_ZEN: I don’t even know what you’re talking about. It doesn’t matter._

He turned off his phone. It was almost time for his rehearsal. Just as the screen went dark, it lit up again with a chat room.

**[new chatroom] Good morning everyone!! :DDDDDDD**

Zen walked outside to the metro station as he clicked on the chat room. This app was still kind of new to him, so he had trouble at first, but eventually opened it. As the chat room loaded, he saw Yoosung was online. 

_Yoosung has entered the chatroom._

_Zen has entered the chatroom._

**Yoosung** : OMMg

**Yoosung** : It’s zen, the new member!!!!! :D

**ZEN** : Hey

**ZEN** : I’m heading to play rehearsal rn

**Yoosung** : Wow! I wish I was doing something cool like that

**Yoosung** : Since school is off today, I’m studying

**ZEN** : Lol, thanks, but rehearsal isn’t as cool as you think. 

**ZEN** : Sometimes nothing will get done and it’s super boring

**ZEN** : But... studying this early? That’s some work ethic

**Yoosung** : Haha, thanks. I get it from Rika.

**ZEN** : Rika?

**Yoosung:** She always helps me out. Almost overbearing, but it pays off in the long run!!

**ZEN** : I wish I had a mentor like that when I was in school.

**Yoosung** : Wdym, did no one every help you?

**ZEN** : Well, my parents didn’t guide me properly.... and I.....

**Yoosung** : You........

**ZEN** : Actually I’ll tell you later. The subway just reached my stop.

**Yoosung** : Oh ok. See you

**ZEN** : Bye

_ZEN has left the chatroom._

_Yoosung has left the chatroom._

Zen sighed in relief as he got off the metro. He didn’t really want to explain how he ran away from home since Yoosung barely knew him as it is. He just felt a sense of wariness around RFA. Especially that Jumin Han. Zen didn’t want to join in any of the chat rooms he was in. Just by reading the chat logs, he could see how stuck-up the CEO-in-line was. All he talks about is his cat, which, coincidently, Zen is allergic to. 

The other members were a bit odd too. Especially Seven. Though he tried to be funny, Zen didn’t really find his jokes very appealing. But maybe that was just him. Yoosung seemed nice. He reminded Zen of a little brother. V and Rika were the two people he already knew, so he trusted them the most.

Just as he was about to turn off his phone again, another notification came up. This time from Jumin. Zen sighed to himself and read the message. It was a reply from what Zen had texted him earlier.

_Jumin: I was apologising for bringing up the idea of aiding you with money._

_ZEN: ok.. Whatever, I don’t really care that much, I just don’t want your money_

That seemed to shut Jumin up. Three dots appeared showing that Jumin was typing, but it disappeared. He must’ve given up. “Thank god,” Zen muttered as he pocketed his phone. The RFA members were way too talkative for him. It seemed they had too much free time, even though they all had full-time occupations. He opened the door to the studio and got started. Since he had performed in quite a few shows the previous weekend, he was given a new play to start learning, which meant a lot of work memorizing lines and practicing the choreography. Zen was excited.

After working hard during rehearsal, Zen bought a sandwich from a store nearby and ate lunch. He checked his phone and saw that a chat room had opened up.

**[new chatroom] A New Assistant**

The actor was confused by the title, but he clicked on it anyway. V and Jumin were online. Not what Zen was hoping for, unfortunately.

**V** : Jaehee Kang?

**Jumin Han** : Yes, she applied to be my assistant. And...

**Jumin Han** : I think she’ll be my best choice.

**V** : Why?

**V** : Not that I disagree, I’m just wondering since you haven’t set up any interviews either.

**Jumin Han** : Well... I’ve thought about that, of course.

_ZEN has joined the chatroom._

**V** : Oh, hello Zen!

**ZEN** : what are you guys talking about???

**ZEN** : who’s Jaehee Kang;;

**V** : .

**Jumin Han** : Right. Zen you don’t know the story. Well, no one knows the story except V and I.

**ZEN:** _Story??_

**Jumin Han** : A few days ago, my assistant quit. I’ve been looking for a new assistant, and out of the many choices, 

**Jumin Han:** I believe Jaehee Kang is my best choice. Based on the application, she seems to be very hard-working, which is what I look for in an assistant.

**Jumin Han** : My previous assistant was quite lazy, but I didn’t pick him. 

**ZEN** : Um...

**Jumin Han** : ?

**ZEN** : I don’t see what your assistant has to do with anything

**Jumin Han** : Well, V has been helping me pick, so I was mostly discussing with him.

**V** : Besides, this is a chatroom of free discussion. You can talk about your work too.

**ZEN** : Yeah but......

**Jumin Han** : Is there a problem?

**ZEN** : godammit Jumin Han. Just stop it!!

**V** : Um...

_ZEN has left the chatroom._

“What a stuck-up dude... he has his own assistant? Jeesh!” Zen muttered to himself in annoyance. He turned off his phone and finished his sandwich in silence. As he finished his lunch and started to walk back to continue rehersal, he heard another buzz from his phone.

Zen stared at his phone in anger. Now what? It was a private message from... Seven, surprisingly.

_707: why don’t you like Jumin?_

Zen was taken aback by his message. It was awfully blunt and he knew Seven wasn’t usually like that.

_ZEN: wdym?_

_707: it’s pretty obvious you hate him for something lol_

_707: Like in that last chatroom you just completely snapped at him for no reason_

_ZEN: i don’t..._

_ZEN: he’s just too proud of himself. and he's just a rich snob_

_707: that’s what you think??_

Seven didn’t say anything back after that. Zen thought for a good minute what the real reason was for his hate of the director. Yeah Jumin was proud of himself, but it was hypocritical for Zen to say that, as he’s a bit of a narcissist himself. 

He really couldn’t think of the reason. And the more he thought about it, the more he didn’t want to know the reason, either.


	4. the interview

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jumin hires Jaehee Kang as his assistant and learns she's a fan of Zen.

Jumin Han straightened his tie. Even though he had only selected five people for the interview, he had to be as professional as possible. He had planned the questions he would ask, and the questions that may follow based on the person’s response. 

He heard a knock on the door. “Come in.” It was the first person he was to interview: Jaehee Kang. She had long brown locks and glanced at him momentarily. 

“You are... Mr. Han, yes?”

“Yes, and you must be Jaehee Kang, correct?”

She nodded. 

“Alright then. Do you know how to take care of a cat?”

Jaehee was obviously taken aback by this first question, but she remained composed because she was determined to get this job. “Yes, I do. I’ve taken care of them before.”

“That’s good.” Jumin checked off something on his paper and continued. He asked questions about why she wanted to work here, as well as how she would contribute to the development of C&R. Then he moved on to a couple of personal questions so he could know her a bit better.

“Tell me about yourself. What do you like to do in your free time, and do you have any hobbies?”

That should’ve been the question Jumin started off with in Jaehee’s opinion, but she didn’t really care. “Well, in my free time, I like drinking coffee and surfing the web. But a certain hobby I enjoy is watching musical theatre any chance I get.”

“Musical theatre?” Jumin raised an eyebrow. He saw Jaehee squirm just the slightest, thinking she said something wrong. He looked at his paper with questions. Now he was supposed to ask more questions about her hobby. “Do you have any particular actor you enjoy seeing?”

“Yes, well, you probably don’t know him...” Jaehee looked at him and his eyes were asking for an answer, so she just said the name anyway. “His name is Zen. I like the musicals he’s in because he has a type of passion to it that I enjoy!” Jaehee quickly stopped herself before she got too excited.

Jumin stopped. Did Jaehee say Zen? And did she mean... the same Zen that’s in the RFA? “Does his full name happen to be Hyun Ryu by any chance?”

Jaehee’s eyes widened. “Yes, actually.” She looked like she wanted to ask more now, but she didn’t.

“I see. You’re hired.” Jumin stood up and fidgeted with the cuffs on his sleeves. “Be here next week at 8:00am sharp.”

“W-What? Just like that?” she said in surprise. 

“Yes. From now on, you are Assistant Kang. If you see anyone outside this door, tell them their interview is cancelled.”

“But, if you don’t mind me asking, Mr. Han, why me?”

“That would take some time to explain,” Jumin said. “To put it briefly, however, you are simply just a hard worker. You have all the qualities I’m looking for. Please don’t thank me, though.”

“Well then. I’ll see you next week.”

“Goodbye.”

Jaehee rushed out the door, almost breathless. Her new boss was nothing like she imagined. He seemed so distant and cold, and yet he asked the most trivial questions.  How to take care of a cat?  Jaehee didn’t get it. 

She wasn’t as excited as she should’ve been, though. As a chief assistant, she’ll have a great pay, but Jaehee didn’t know if she was completely ready. And she didn’t know if Mr. Han would be strict or not. She guessed she would have to find out for herself.

—

Jumin got a private message from 707. He turned on his phone and read it.

_707: so i asked zen about why he doesn’t like you...;_

_707: and basically he said you’re too proud and snobby/rich etc.??_

_Jumin Han: Hmm. I see._

_Jumin Han: Personally, I don’t think it’s just me. Zen must see something or someone else when he looks at me._

_707: uh ok.._

_707: will you let me play with elly now????_

_Jumin Han: No. Now you need to ask Zen if I remind him of someone._

_707: ughhh... i can play with elly after that right??_

_Jumin Han: Depending on Zen’s response... perhaps._

_707: but... why do i need to ask for you? you can just text zen urself. unless..._

_707: you like zen?!?!?!?!_

_Jumin Han: Don’t say such childish things. Every time I text him, he gets mad and doesn’t give a proper answer._

_Jumin Han: So getting you to do it for me makes it a lot easier_

_707: ugh... whatever, ceo in line. cya_

Jumin turned off his phone and continued his work. Jaehee Kang... had he made the right choice? He talked to V and he said she was the best choice. However, he would have to change her hair and add glasses so his father wouldn’t try to do anything. 

But Jumin never would have expected his assistant to be a fan of Zen. Zen was known in the world of musical theatre. It seemed like a complete coincidence that she knew him. Or was it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter’s a bit short. I’m adding more to the next one to make up for it.


	5. reckoning this evening already and

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> V invites Jumin to his house and the two have a chat. Seven texts Zen and calls Jumin about it afterwards.

It was Friday evening and Jumin was quite glad it was. Luckily he didn't work any later than he was supposed to, because the corporate director had saved his remaining work for his assistant Jaehee, who would coming in for her first day on the following Monday. He was going back home when he saw a new chatroom open up on his phone.

**[new chatroom] Wine?**

_V has entered the chatroom._

_Jumin Han has entered the chatroom._

**V** : Hey Jumin.

 **V** : I heard you hired your new assistant.

 **Jumin Han** : That I did.

 **V** : Jaehee Kang, right?

 **V** : She seemed like a responsible and well organized lady.

 **Jumin Han** : She definitely is. I'm sure she'll be a lot better than my previous assistant.

 **Jumin Han** : Assistant Kang even knows how to take care of a cat, which will be perfect for Elizabeth.

 **V** : Elizabeth, huh? You seem to really adore her, haha.

 **V** : I never would've expected it out of _the_ Jumin Han.

 **Jumin Han** : well, I didn't really expect it either. But it seems a lot of the other members have problems with her for some reason.

 **V** : What? Problems with Elizabeth?

 **V** : Wait. Are you talking about...

 **Jumin Han** : yes. Zen always complains about his _allergy._ A mere photo of Elizabeth the 3rd is not going to do anything.

 **V** : Um...

 **V** : i know what you're getting at, but couldn't you be more considerate?

 **V** : Maybe Hyun had a traumatic experience with a cat, who knows?

 **Jumin Han** : Well, if he said anything of the sorts, I would stop. But he hasn't. 

**V** : Personally, I think the problem is Luciel.

 **Jumin Han** : Luciel?

 **V** : Yes, hasn't he called Elizabeth "Elly" all the time _and_ tried to **abuse her**?

 **V** : He's doing physical damage. i'd be more worried about him if I were you

_707 has entered the chatroom._

**V** : Wow.

 **Jumin Han** : Speak of the devil.

 **707** : Devil?????

 **707** : No no, you're misunderstanding me! I just want to cuddle Elly and hold her close to my chest, and

 **Jumin Han** : **Stop it.**

 **707** : aaaah! please, mr. director, don’t...

 **Jumin Han:** Really, Luciel, don’t joke around. I’m talking with V.

 **Jumin Han** : As of which...

 **Jumin Han** : V, why’d you name the chatroom “Wine?” 

**V** : Haha. That is a good question. I think you can figure it out.

 **707** : bruh....

 **707** : you two are gonna drink without me? :(

 **Jumin Han** : Luciel, from what I remember, you don’t drink at all, let alone prefer wine.

 **707** : ope. you caught me lolololol

 **V** : Yep, Luciel’s right. I was wondering if you could come over this evening and we could drink wine like normal.

 **Jumin Han** : Sounds good. In fact I was going to go home, but I’ll tell Driver Kim to change routes.

 **707** : Um... this seems like a Jumin and V discussion... soo i’m gonna leave.

 **Jumin Han** : Bye. Have a good night.

 **V** : No, it’s fine. You can stay..

_707 has left the chatroom._

**V** : ... and he left. Well then.

 **Jumin Han** : Is Rika at your house?

 **V** : Um... she’s been so busy so she’s already asleep.

 **Jumin Han** : Wow. Busy with what?

 **V** : I’m not really sure myself. Just some random stuff she’s been interested in.

 **Jumin Han** : Ok. I’ll see you at your house.

 **V** : See you. I have some food prepared too so don’t try to eat beforehand.

 **Jumin Han** : Alright. Thanks, V.

 **V** : Anytime, Jumin.

_V has left the chatroom._

**Jumin Han** : ...

 **Jumin Han** : V really is a great friend.

_Jumin Han has left the chatroom._

Jumin looked out the window. It had started to rain while he was talking in the chatroom. He watched the grey clouds slowly turn orange as the sun descended. He wondered what V would cook. Jumin wasn't a picky eater, but he was still curious.

Soon he arrived at the photographer's house, a bit tired, but quite glad that he could spend the evening with his best friend.

Jumin thanked Driver Kim as he got out and headed towards the door. V opened it before he could even ring the bell. “Hey Jumin.”

“Hello V,” Jumin muttered as he quickly went inside. He didn’t realize how cold it was outside until a warm breeze was expelled from V opening the door. “Wow, it’s quite warm in here.”

“Haha, yeah, Rika likes it when it’s warmer,” V told him. Seconds after Jumin was inside he realized it was _too_ warm. He took off his suit jacket, leaving him in his vest and button up shirt.

“Sorry. Do you want me to turn it down?” V asked quickly. He knew Jumin would almost never take off his suit jacket.

“Yes, thanks. In fact, C&R has been doing research on how to be more environmentally friendly, and it’s a lot better to wear a blanket in a cold house than to turn up the heat,” Jumin told V.

“I know, I know. It’s just that Rika prefers it hotter. I don’t want to argue with her,” V explained.

Jumin looked at V as he sat down near the coffee table. “I know why you don’t argue with her, but some things you need to bring up. Like this.”

“I see. I’ll bring it up with her later.” Jumin could tell V was lying, but he didn’t say anything. “I’ll... I’ll go get dinner,” he muttered awkwardly as he got up.

Dinner turned out to be relatively small, as Jumin would find out in a minute. Jumin wasn’t sure it V just didn’t eat a lot or if they didn’t have enough food in the first place. But he didn’t want to complain if it ended up being the latter.

V had also brought a lot of wine, and he poured the glasses for the two of them. Jumin sipped slowly and V started the conversation.

“So what do you think of Hyun?”

Jumin glanced at him through the red tint of his wine. Did V really have to start off the conversation talking about Zen? “He seems like a perfectly good person, but Zen has some sort of strong distaste for me for some reason.”

“Yep. That’s why I asked. To be honest... Rika wanted him to join because of you,” V admitted.

“What?” Jumin said in surprise. He ate some of his food as he listened.

“Rika truly believed that Zen would be great friends with  you , Jumin,” V told him. “And I believed her too. I don’t know why Hyun feels like that. Unless...”

“Unless what?”

“Nothing.” 

Jumin narrowed his eyes, wondering what V was thinking. “Personally, I think that I remind Zen of someone he doesn’t like.”

“Hmm.” V considered it. “It makes sense.”

“V?” A voice that was neither V’s nor Jumin’s came from another room. Rika walked out slowly. “And...”

“Rika. Why did you wake up? I thought...” V quickly rushed to her side. 

“That’s...” Rika’s eyes searched the area until she saw the wine on the table. “You guys are drinking wine again? I thought I said not to.”

“W-We’re just talking, Rika. Here, let’s go back to your room,” V muttered. “Or do you want to go back to your apartment?”

Jumin didn’t make out the rest because the two had gone too far away.

———

While Jumin was at V’s house, Seven was at his own, texting Zen.

_707: hey zen_

_ZEN: what now??? -_-_

_707: idk if it's just me? but like_

_707: does Jumin remind you of anyone in particular?_

_ZEN: well, now that you mention it..._

_ZEN: he kinda does._

_707: really? who?_

Before Seven could see Zen's response, a tap on his shoulder caused the hacker to jump. "Jesus, Vanderwood! You scared me!"

"What do you think you're doing?" Vanderwood, an informant like Seven but also his caretaker, gave him a look of disappointment.

"Um... RFA stuff," Seven replied.

"You're doing that  now ? Aren't you supposed to be on a mission!?" Vanderwood exclaimed.

"Shh!" 

"What do you mean, 'shh'. No one's here.”

"The boss might as well have bugged our phones at this rate," Seven muttered as he looked at Zen's response.

_ZEN: well, I had an older brother when i was younger._

_ZEN: he used to like me but when i started getting into acting he kinda started to dislike me_

_ZEN: my brother looked similar to Jumin and he was into business so i guess i subconsciously made the connection lmao_

_707: Wow. That’s..._

_707: That’s a lot._

_ZEN: Yeah lol. Btw don’t tell anyone this please. I don’t want people knowing about my past._

_707: Of course, I have a secret past too lol_

_707: Actually a lot of the members have had troubles in their past. Soo yeah_

_ZEN: Ok. Thanks for understanding._

_707: Yeah_

_ZEN: but why do you keep asking about Jumin??_

_ZEN: Is there nothing else you want to know about me?_

_707: Well..._

_707: I’m asking about Jumin because he_

_ZEN: he what?_

_707: He likes you!!_

_ZEN: ..._

Seven’s heart stopped. He had sent that without thinking. “Jumin is gonna kill me...” he muttered under his breath.

“Excuse me?” Vanderwood said, hearing what Seven said. “Someone is killing us?”

“Relax, Vandy, it’s just a joke,” Seven laughed. 

“And I said not to call me Vandy. God...” Seven turned back to his phone while Vanderwood complained.

_ZEN: When you say “like”... do you mean..._

_707: Lolololololololol_

_707: I mean *like* like lmao_

He could not believe he wrote that. Why did he write that? He really didn’t mean to take a joke that far. Thanks to Zen’s question, he could’ve easily said “like as a friend”. But he didn’t. 

“I can’t believe it.” Seven places his phone face down on the table.  “Ugh. I’ll get ready for the mission. Sorry I was holding it off.” Seven told Vanderwood. He turned back to his computer and started to finish his work.

———

Jumin had finished a lot of wine and started to pour himself another as V was explaining his latest photo collection. 

“It’s based around the Sun. Do you like the idea?”

“Hm, the Sun. The Sun is really hot... and it’s always there. Kind of annoying...” Jumin replied quietly.

“Um... yeah...” V trailed off, not sure what to say. That wasn’t really the answer he was hoping for. He looked at the wine bottle. “Did you finish all this wine without me?”

“Not all of it.” Jumin yawned and leaned back on the couch. “V, you’re so lucky.”

“Lucky for what?”

“You’ve found everything you’ve needed in your life,” Jumin replied. “You have a lover, you have the RFA. You’ve achieved your dream of being a photographer.”

“Jumin...” V gave his friend a thoughtful gaze. “Thank you. But, you sound like you’re feeling unlucky. You also have many things that people want.”

“Money?”

“Well, that, and... you have much more simpler things too. Like me,” V said. “But please, don’t dwell on it too much. I think you’re drunk already.”

“Another lucky thing about you... you never get drunk, V,” Jumin noticed. V laughed.

“That’s...” V trailed off. “I guess I’m a bit lucky in that sense.”

“Hm.” Jumin peered at his phone. “Luciel’s calling me. Is it okay if I excuse myself?” 

“Oh, yeah, that’s fine!”

“Thanks.” Jumin stepped out of the room and answered the call.

“Hey, Jumin.”

“Yes... Luciel, what is it?” Jumin asked tiredly.

“Um... I might have made a mistake.” 


	6. dazed but awake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> V drives Jumin home, and Zen has a dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> personally, i hate how i wrote this one. but some of you may like it. if so, enjoy.

“A mistake? What is that supposed to imply?” Jumin asked. 

“Well. Uh,” Seven started. “I may have told Zen something about you? Something that may or may not be true.”

“And what could that be?”

Seven sighed. He couldn’t keep the anticipation going. “I told Zen you liked him... romantically.”

“You...” Jumin stopped. The corporate director could hardly fathom the idea. Yet at the same time, the thought seemed somewhat familiar, like he had gone over it himself. His mind was hazy from the wine but he responded the best he could. “What did he say?”

Seven could barely focus when he heard what Jumin said. “Y...You care about what Zen said? Well... he was just kinda surprised. What’d you expect?”

“Hmm. Okay.”

“Do you... Do you want me to tell him that it’s not true?” Seven asked.

“Actually, you don’t need to worry. I’ve figured out the rest. I’ve been at V’s house so I don’t want to leave him alone for too long. So excuse me.”

Jumin quickly hung up before Seven could respond. The corporate director walked back to the room where V was in. 

“Are you okay, Jumin?” V asked.

“Yes. Why are you asking?”

“You’re blushing.”

“Hmm?” Jumin raised his hands to touch his red face, and was surprised to find that it was quite hot. “Maybe the temperature.”

“I know that’s not it,” V said, amused.

Jumin nodded and yawned, not saying anything. Minutes later, he passed out from exhaustion, and probably the wine, too. His head slowly drooped until it touched V’s shoulder next to him, sending goosebumps down the photographer’s spine as he glanced at the corporate heir.

V smiled. “Jumin... always the sleepy drunk.” He touched Jumin’s dark, messy hair for a brief moment, and then let his whole hand rest on it. They were friends. They had always been friends. Jumin was the one consistent thing that had stayed in V’s entire life. 

When V’s mother came and left, when Rika entered his life and became his lover, when he was tasked of watching over Seven, and when he helped create the RFA, Jumin had been with him every step of the way. Sure, he may a little blunt, and he may seem unfeeling at times, but V never thought of him that way. He could see that under the cold walls that Jumin had built for himself was a truly kind, generous person.

But V felt like he didn’t appreciate Jumin enough, especially with all the things he’s been tasked to do alone recently. He glanced at the CEO in-line’s face. Jumin looked so peaceful when he was asleep. His eyebrows weren’t furrowed like they always were when he was awake. 

V was so invested in his thoughts that he almost jumped when his phone buzzed with a new chatroom.

** [new chatroom] Bad News **

_ ZEN has entered the chatroom. _

_ Yoosung has entered the chatroom. _

**ZEN** : seriously just learned the worst news of my life;;;;;;

**ZEN** : Hey Yoosung ,,

**Yoosung** : Zen...

**Yoosung** : worst news??

**Yoosung** : What happened? ;-;

**ZEN** : it’s so weird and unbelievable that i can’t even explain it

**Yoosung** : oh... 

**Yoosung** : Did you lose your job or something?

**ZEN** : no lol, nothing bad happened financially like that

**Yoosung** : Ok. hmm...

**ZEN** : don’t try to guess lmao because you never will

_ V has entered the chatroom. _

**V** : Hi Yoosung and Hyun.

**V** : What are you two doing so late?

**ZEN** : well i was about to go to sleep but then i got the bad news that i was talking about

**Yoosung** : I’m studying lol and I decided to take a break

**ZEN** : It’s times like these where my face needs to brighten up the mood...

**ZEN** : [picture]

**V:** Honestly, I really think you should do modeling. Or at least let me take a picture of you, haha.

**ZEN** : I know why you want me to... but I like acting. I don’t like it when ppl judge me just on looks only.

**V** : Hmm. I understand, it’s fine.

**Yoosung** : Zen -_-

**ZEN** : I guess you don’t care about my amazing pictures :(

**Yoosung** : ...

**V** : If you don’t mind me asking, Hyun, was the “bad news” you mentioned related to Jumin?

**ZEN** : how’d you know it’s related to that trust fund kid? he’s....

**ZEN** : i don’t even know how to explain it, so i won’t.

**Yoosung** : trust fund kid... lmaooo

**V** : Well, I’m with him right now actually.

**ZEN** : Really?

**ZEN** : You should tell him to stop being such a jerk tbh

**Yoosung** : Yikess :0

**V** : Um...

**V** : I wouldn’t be able to tell him anyway. He’s asleep.

**ZEN** : Wait... that dude is sleeping at your house??!! uhhhhh

**Yoosung** : haven’t you heard of a sleepover?

**V** : Haha, it’s not a sleepover. We were drinking wine and Jumin drank a little too much, I guess.

**ZEN** : wine?? really;;;

**Yoosung** : I can’t even drink yet

**Yoosung** : What does being drunk even feel like?

**V** : I couldn’t tell you that. I’ve never been drunk.

**ZEN** : It depends on the person I think. Some go all crazy, some just get sick, some are more truthful... But the hangover the next day is never good.

**Yoosung** : Hangover? 

**ZEN** : Yeah...

**ZEN** : I think I’m going to go sleep now. 

**ZEN** : Don’t want my skin to be all puffy tomorrow lol

**Yoosung:** alright i’ll sleep too

**V** : Yep, I need to get Jumin home asap

**Yoosung** : why can’t he sleep at your house tho,;

**V** : Well Rika’s already here so it’ll be kinda awkward if Jumin’s with us. You know...

**Yoosung** : Oh ok.

**ZEN** : Bye you two!

**Yoosung** : Cya!

**V** : Bye!

_ ZEN has left the chatroom.  _

_ Yoosung has left the chatroom. _

_ V has left the chatroom. _

The photographer checked the time. Jumin usually only naps for about 10 to 30 minutes based on previous occasions. It had already been 15 minutes. Soon enough, Jumin’s eyes fluttered open. He glanced around and saw V next to him.

“Oh, Jihyun, I’m so sorry. I sincerely apologize for falling asleep. I’ll call up  Driver Kim and—“

“Shh,” V muttered and Jumin went silent. “I’m driving you home.”

“But—“

“No. Besides, it’ll be quicker than waiting for that driver of yours,” V laughed.

Jumin didn’t reply. His friend had a point. The two got in the car and V started to drive. 

“I seriously cannot believe I simply passed out like that,” Jumin told V in disbelief. “You should’ve woken me up.”

“I could never do that. You always seem so peaceful in your sleep,” V admitted truthfully.

“I certainly don’t _feel_ peaceful now,” the other muttered.

They talked for a while until V stopped at Jumin’s penthouse. “Alright, see you Jumin.”

“Wait. I’d like to say something.” Jumin said.

“What is it?”

“I liked this. Thank you for being my friend,” Jumin went to the effort to smile at V, which was a rare occasion.

“Pleasure is mine,” V said back.

Jumin walked into the building and V drove off.

—

Zen still couldn't sleep. He really could not stop thinking about what Seven had told him. Was Seven really telling the truth, saying that Jumin Han was attracted to Zen? Did the CEO in-line really  think of Zen as...?

No. No way could it be true. He knew that many people speculated Jumin to be gay because he never dated, but Zen never believed that himself. If anything, Jumin seemed ace and/or aromantic at the most. 

And Zen was pretty sure he himself wasn’t into guys for the matter. He had only dated girls. 

But Jumin of all people? Out of everyone in the RFA, it was the one he disliked most. Zen decided to ask the the guy himself to confirm it.

His fingers idly tapped around the messenger until he found the DMing feature. Zen tapped Jumin’s name.

_ ZEN: hey, jumin... _

_ Jumin Han: What is it? _

Zen shivered. That dude had replied almost immediately.

_ ZEN: Soo... I was talking to Seven, and... _

_ Jumin Han: Wait. Can you call me instead of text? _

_ ZEN: Why? Are you driving? _

_ Jumin Han: No. _

_ ZEN: ?? ok, I’ll call you right now _

Zen searched around and tapped the call button. A moment later, Jumin answered.

“Zen?” His voice was laced with warmth, contrary to what Zen expected it.

“Um... yeah, Jumin. So, Seven texted me and—“

“Let me guess: he told me that I had a crush on you,” Jumin said.

“Oh...” Zen said. Jumin phrased his words kind of oddly. “Yeah. But... to be honest, _what the hell_? Is it true? Do you...”

Zen heard a breathy laugh from the other side. Jumin was laughing? The dude was certainly not himself. “Luciel was joking.” 

“W-What, really?” Zen breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay. That’s all I was going to ask you, so...”

“No, wait. Don’t leave yet,” Jumin said. 

“Jeesh... what now?”

Zen heard nothing but some muffled sounds and Jumin talking to someone else. Zen wondered if V was still with Jumin. It didn’t sound like he was in a car. 

“Meow meow meow.” The sound of a cat meowing invaded Zen’s ears.

“AHHHH!” Zen dropped the phone and started to cough. All he could hear was the quiet sound of Jumin laughing coming out of his cell phone speaker. 

Zen cautiously picked up the phone and started to yell. “What the hell is wrong with you!? You know I’m allergic to cats! Are you in your right mind!?”

“Really? The _sound_ of a cat meowing will give you an allergic reaction,” Jumin replied sarcastically.

“Yes, what did you think?”

“You should just get over your allergy.”

“It’s not something I can get over! Seriously! I can’t believe you could be such a jerk and—“ Zen looked back at the phone and noticed Jumin had hung up.

Jumin attempt at ‘humor’ was not humorous to Zen at all. “God damn it Jumin.” At least it turned out that Seven was joking. But something told Zen otherwise. Jumin was offering all those deals to help him gain popularity, and the guy always wanted to talk to him... it did look like a clear sign. The more he thought about him, the more frustrated Zen got.

Jumin Han, Jumin Han, Jumin Han. 

Every time Zen tried to think about something else, he could only hear Jumin’s odd, yet genuine, laugh that he heard earlier. He could see Jumin’s face contorted in laughter, even though Zen had never seen such a scene. He fell asleep with the thought of the corporate director in his subconscious.

—

“Jumin... I...” Zen muttered, his face turning red. He was in a house he had never seen before. It looked like a penthouse, and it had a huge window that overlooked the city.

_ Where am I? _

Suddenly, he saw Jumin in front of him, looking at the actor with a kind smile.

“It’s okay.”

No words were used after that. The next thing Zen felt was himself leaning towards the corporate heir and pressing his lips against the others. 

_ Nonononononono... _

Under his hands the white-haired man could feel the soft texture of Jumin’s suit, and he himself could feel Jumin’s fingers wrappedon his own shoulders. It was horrifyingly awful. What was going on? 

And why did Zen like it?

—

“Ah...!” Zen woke up in a daze. His heartbeat was twice of that before he went to sleep. He took in a couple breaths before he realized what just happened. It was a dream. _A dream._

“No... no, I couldn’t be. I’m not. I would never fall in love with that dude!” Zen reassured himself. When he thought about it, Zen hated to admit that Jumin was a good kisser, at least in the dream.

But what he hated to admit even more was that many of the dreams Zen had —especially the ones he remembered— tended to happen in real life. They were like prophetic dreams. 

Zen did _not_ want anything like that ever happening in the near future. And he would do everything he could to prevent it.


	7. dizzy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jumin messes with Zen, and asks his new assistant for help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the formatting for the chatrooms so it's easier to distinguish which line of text are from the chatroom and which is narration. Hope it helps! I'll edit the other chapters too.

Only a few days after Jumin's "hangout" with V, it was Monday again. Jumin woke up and got ready for work.

He looked at his phone and saw a chatroom had opened. Sitting on his bed with Elizabeth the 3rd, Jumin opened it.

> **[new chatroom] T_T**
> 
> _ ZEN has entered the chatroom. _
> 
> **ZEN** : I woke up awfully tired today. Ugh
> 
> _ 707 has entered the chatroom. _
> 
> **707** : ?
> 
> **707** : Tired?? Why?
> 
> **ZEN** : Well I slept a little late so i’m not surprised lol
> 
> **707** : Oh ok
> 
> **707** : Let me introduce u to the healing drink that make you feel both energized and awake!
> 
> **ZEN** : Um...?
> 
> **707** : it is called... cue drumrolll.........
> 
> **707** : SEVEN SUPERSTAR DRINK!!!
> 
> **ZEN** : uhh... what?
> 
> _ Jumin Han has entered the chatroom. _
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Zen. Luciel. You two are both here.
> 
> **707** : Oh, let me welcome....
> 
> **707** : The CEO in-line himself! Jumin Han!!!!!!
> 
> **ZEN** : ugh. jumin han.
> 
> **707** : Wow Zen lol
> 
> **ZEN** : I can’t even...
> 
> **Jumin Han** : ? 
> 
> **Jumin Han** : What’s the matter?
> 
> **ZEN** : nothing
> 
> **707** : are you feeling better from all that drinking u did yesterday? lmao
> 
> **Jumin Han** : I didn’t drink that much yesterday. If you’re talking about what happened on Friday, yes, I am.
> 
> **707** : Personally, I don’t drink. And I don’t think I ever will drink. 
> 
> **ZEN** : Really? I drink beer all the time.
> 
> **707** : Yeah and u drink way too much of it. Beer is like water to u
> 
> **ZEN** : Don’t call me out like that... -_-
> 
> **Jumin Han** : You drink beer like it’s water? That is quite unhealthy.
> 
> **ZEN** : How would you know? You’re a wine guy.
> 
> **ZEN** : Besides, I’ve never had health issues with it. 
> 
> **ZEN** : Ugh... why do you care anyway?? 
> 
> **Jumin Han** : You’re a member of the RFA. Of course I care.
> 
> **707** : Really jumin;; the man who is said to feel no love.. u care?
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Whoever started that rumor that I feel no love is quite flawed in their opinion.
> 
> **ZEN** : really?;;
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Of course I feel love. I’m still a person.
> 
> **707** : seriously? Jumin, you’ve never even been in love with someone.
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Actually, it’s quite the opposite. In fact, I’m in love right now.
> 
> **ZEN** : ;;;;um
> 
> **ZEN** : no way...
> 
> **707** : spill jumin

Jumin brushed Elizabeth's fur, suddenly getting an idea.

> **Jumin Han** : My love... has the most beautiful white hair...
> 
> **ZEN** : ...
> 
> **ZEN** : Wait
> 
> **ZEN** : No... T_T you can’t be talking about...
> 
> **707** : omg lmaoaoaoaoa 
> 
> **707** : ZEN HE’S TALKING ABOUT YOU LOLOL
> 
> **707** : I KNEW HE WAS GAY
> 
> **ZEN** : NONONONONONON
> 
> _ ZEN has left the chatroom. _

Jumin smiled at his phone. Then he realized what he was doing and frowned again.

> **Jumin Han** : And she has the most mesmerizing blue eyes...
> 
> **707** : Blue?? Zen’s eyes are red.
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Hmm. Why did Zen leave? I wasn’t referring to him.
> 
> **707** : wait u weren’t?
> 
> **707** : Who were you...
> 
> **Jumin Han** : I was referring to Elizabeth the 3rd, of course.
> 
> **707** : ...
> 
> **707** : Wow.
> 
> **707** : That was...
> 
> **707** : You even got me.
> 
> **707** : Y’know Jumin, I think that was one of ur better jokes lol
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Really? 
> 
> **707** : except Zen will probably be livid at u the next time he sees u lol
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Well then. You’re probably right.
> 
> **707** : Oh, sorry i have to go
> 
> **707** : Work is calling!
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Adios.
> 
> **707** : Laterz!
> 
> _ 707 has left the chatroom. _

The joke he pulled on Zen was quite fun. But he knew he would probably pay the price next time they chatted. He felt a weird feeling deep down in his stomach when he thought about it. It was almost some sort of odd excitement, but Jumin couldn’t put his finger on it. He looked back at the chatroom and saw someone else had joined.

> _ Rika has joined the chatroom. _
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Oh, Rika. You’re here.
> 
> **Rika:** Hey Jumin!
> 
> **Rika** : Was that a joke you pulled on Zen? 
> 
> **Rika** : That was so funny!

Jumin’s stomach started to hurt.

> **Jumin Han** : Oh, sorry. I have to finish some work. My assistant...
> 
> **Rika** : Work? It's not even 8 am yet. Are you really that busy?
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Yes... I just hired a new assistant.
> 
> **Rika** : Oh yeah!
> 
> **Rika** : Jaehee Kang, right?

It felt as if Jumin’s heart had stopped.

> **Jumin Han** : ...
> 
> **Jumin Han** : How do you know her name?
> 
> **Jumin Han** : I don’t recall telling you.
> 
> **Rika** : Oh... haha.
> 
> **Rika:** V talked to me about her!
> 
> **Jumin Han** : V...?

> **Rika** : Hey, wait. I just had a great idea!
> 
> **Jumin Han** : What is it?
> 
> **Rika** : How about we invite Jaehee to the party?
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Hmm. If you’d like to, than go ahead.
> 
> **Jumin Han** : The party is in three weeks, right?
> 
> **Rika** : Yep!
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Alright. I’ll tell her to send you an email.
> 
> **Rika** : Okay. Thank you!
> 
> **Jumin Han** : It’s nothing. Now, I believe I have to take my leave now.
> 
> **Rika** : Oh okay. Have a great day Jumin! 
> 
> **Jumin Han** : ...
> 
> **Jumin Han** : You too, Rika.
> 
> _Jumin Han has left the chatroom._
> 
> _Rika has left the chatroom._

Soon enough, Jumin arrived at work, quite satisfied to see his assistant had arrived on time as well for her first day of work. “Assistant Kang, can you come into my office, please?” he asked her.

Jaehee slowly entered his office, where she sat on the chair across from him.

“Now, to be my assistant, you’ll have to be a bit more... professional,” Jumin told her. He explained to her that she needed to cut her hair and wear non-prescription glasses. Though it was partially for professionalism, Jumin was afraid that his own father would try to date Jaehee like the CEO did with many of his employees.

“Cut my hair?” Jaehee looked at her hair and back at her boss.

“Yes, it’s imperative that you do that as soon as possible.”

“Oh. Alright, Mr. Han. If that’s all you have to say, then can I—“

“No. There’s one more thing I need to ask you about.” Jumin’s tone scared Jaehee quite a bit. He spoke with almost no emotion at all, and Jaehee didn’t know whether he was upset, or angry with her, or just neutral. The corporate heir scooched just a bit closer to his assistant and could even see beads of sweat forming on Jaehee’s forehead.

“Ah, what is it, sir?”

“You know a lot about Zen, right?” The second he said the actor’s name, Jaehee raised her eyebrows in disbelief, wondering why her boss of all people would ask something so trivial.

“Yes..?”

“Do you know what kind of restaurant or café he could be at during lunch?”

Jaehee looked taken aback by the question. “Hmm. If I’m being honest, I do know this one place that he seems to frequent a lot.” She wrote down the address of the place and handed the Post-It to Jumin.

“Ah. Thank you, Assistant Kang.”

“It’s nothing. I’ve been a fan of Zen for many years.” His assistant gave him an awkward smile. "Anything else?"

"Oh, one more thing. So, I apologize if this may seem a bit awkward, especially on your first day." Jumin watched Jaehee take in a deep breath. "But I'm part of a fundraising organization called RFA, and a friend of mine wanted you to come to one of our parties." He wrote down Rika's contact information as Jaehee furrowed her brows. She was very confused. First Jumin asks about Zen, and now invites her to a party..? This was certainly not the kind of job Jaehee had expected when she submitted her application. And something seemed oddly familiar about those letters. RFA...

"RFA? Isn't that the organization Zen joined a couple weeks ago?" Jaehee inferred. She had remembered seeing a rumor online about it, but had doubted it at first glance.

"You are correct," Jumin answered. So that's how Jumin knew Zen. The whole time Jaehee thought Jumin needed Zen for something business related, but it seemed it was this organization instead. Jumin placed the contact information in her hand and said, "Please send an email to Rika," pointing to the name he had written. "She'd love to see you at the party, and I would too."

"Oh, okay. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Jumin handed her a stack of papers laying on his desk. "Also, you need to deliver these to my father. You may leave now." 

Jaehee quietly exited the room, and Jumin looked down at the Post-It with the café address . The place Jaehee had written down was a 10 minute walk from where he was now, according to the Maps app on his phone. Jumin had rarely traveled by foot before, but he supposed it would be good exercise. If he took the car, it would only take a couple minutes.

Once it was lunchtime at the workplace, Jumin had decided to walk. He wanted to try something new. He grabbed his coat and headed outside, hoping to catch a glimpse of Zen at the café.


	8. do you hate me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zen and Jumin end up meeting at the café, and Zen reevaluates what he thinks of Jumin. Along with V and Rika just because.

_ 10 minutes earlier... _

Zen was practicing his choreography for the new play. All of his coworkers were taking a water break, so he was the only one in the room.Zen moved around the floor, eyeing himself in the mirror in front of him, until he spotted someone that was standing behind him. The actor turned around and saw it was... the party coordinator.

“Rika? Why are you here?” Zen asked suspiciously.

She smiled at Zen, and Zen couldn’t help but smile back, even as he felt goosebumps trail down his spine. “I just wanted to talk. Your dancing is so elegant!”

“Oh, haha, thanks. My break is in a few minutes, how about then?” Zen offered. He looked behind him to see if anyone was watching the two converse.

“Of course. We can meet up at the café and have lunch,” Rika suggested.

“Have lunch together!?” Zen said in surprise. “But V...”

“Oh, don’t worry about V. He‘s already there.” Rika looked out the window and checked her phone. “I’ll go walk to the café. Come in whenever you get the time!”

After she left, some of Zen’s fellow theatre friends walked back in the room, teasing him and calling Rika his girlfriend. “Stop guys, she’s engaged to a different dude...” Zen pouted.

Once it was time for his lunch, he walked to the café, which was only a few minutes away. He squinted his eyes and could easily make out the V’s bright mint-colored hair through the café window, as well as Rika’s blonde. They were both standing in the back of a fairly crowded line. Zen felt that it would be awkward, intruding on the couple like that, but Rika invited him, and he was hungry.

Zen opened the door and saw someone else coming in, so he kept it open for them. 

“Thank you,” the other said.

“No pro—”Zen looked up, recognizing that voice. He could recognize that cold, uncaring tone from anywhere. It was the trust fund kid himself. “Jumin...?” 

The corporate heir ignored him and walked over to V and Rika. Jumin exchanged pleasantries with the couple, and Zen just watched in surprise. He didn’t know what to do.

What did Zen drag himself into? Why didn’t Rika mention Jumin being here at all? Or wait... even worse, did she bring Jumin here on purpose? Zen’s mind went through all the possibilities as he gazed at Jumin’s cloudy colored eyes.

All this hate for the man started to boil inside of him and soon he wasn’t even looking at Jumin Han anymore. 

He was looking at his own brother. 

Zen’s brother was nice to him at the beginning. But later in Zen’s life, he had changed completely. He remembered all the hurtful things his only sibling had said. Just like Jumin, Zen’s brother thought only money mattered and that was it.

_ “I can’t believe you want to be an actor.” _

_ “Your plans for the future are stupid, and will get you nowhere.” _

_ “I’m so disappointed in you.”  _

“Will you stop staring and get in line, Zen?” Jumin said to the actor, his piercing eyes connecting with Zen’s red ones. 

The actor snapped back to reality. He realized he’d been looking in that asshole’s eyes for way too long. “Whatever.” He walked over to the three of them and stood right behind Jumin.

Zen stared at the back of Jumin’s head while the line slowly moved along. Now that he was closer to the man, Zen was noticing all kinds of things about him. Jumin’s hairstyle was... unique to say the least. His raven black hair stuck out in lots of places. Zen wished he could fix the guy’s hair since Jumin clearly couldn’t himself.

“Zen, I’m so glad you came. Thanks so much!” Rika gave him a big grin while Jumin raised an eyebrow.

“Oh... it’s nothing. I love this place, anyway,” Zen replied, though he felt a bit flustered from Rika’s kindness.

“You invited him?” Jumin asked.

“Yep!” Rika chirped. Soon it was time for them to order. Jumin looked at the menu and was surprised to see how cheap all the options were. He ended up ordering an espresso, though he really wasn’t a coffee person. Jumin liked wine and preferred to stick with that. 

When it was time to pay, Jumin slipped his credit card to the bartender and paid for everyone. 

“God, Jumin, we’re not poor. Why do you have to...!” Though Zen sounded angry, inside he was very relieved he could save his money. He wished he had Jumin’s kind of financial freedom, even though he disliked him for it. Zen guessed that made him a hypocrite.

“Shh, Zen,” Jumin said, making a shushing gesture with his finger. “You’re being unnecessarily loud.”

Zen’s eyes widened hearing the corporate director’s quiet tone. “...” He groaned and looked away.

“Is 20,000 won ($20) that much?” Jumin muttered to V.

“I never thought so. Either Zen has financial issues of his own or I must be too rich for my own good.” V laughed.

They sat at a table for four. V and Rika sat at one side, while Jumin and Zen sat on the other. All their drinks and food sat in front of them. “So, you come here everyday?” Zen asked the couple sitting across from him.

“Yeah,” V said. “This is where we first met, sort of. We continued to meet up here everyday, so it became a tradition.”

“That’s really sweet, actually,” Zen said. “I’d like to have something like that with my significant other.”

“With your face, I’m sure you’ll find one in no time,” Rika told him.

“I agree with her. If you really want love...” Jumin started. “... Then it will probably come easily for you.”

“Geez, I know you’re trying to be nice, man, but back off dude,” Zen said. He didn’t like the way Jumin had said that. It almost sounded like... no, Zen couldn’t think about that.

Jumin gave V a look of confusion, and V understood what his friend meant. “Zen, I think Jumin’s just trying to compliment you,” said the photographer.

“Right...” Zen muttered. He looked back at the CEO in-line, at his dark grey eyes. At first glance they seemed piercing and cold, but Zen noticed Jumin was looking at everyone with a small smile as he sipped on his drink, including himself. Zen even felt a bit guilty. “Sorry, trust fund kid. I shouldn’t get mad so easily.”

Jumin looked away from Zen. “Really,” he said with the slightest bit or sarcasm. V gave him a look that Jumin knew well. It was the look he gave whenever the corporate heir was about to do something stupid. “I’m surprised at your apology, Hyun.”

Zen was albeit confused Jumin had called him by his birth name. “I dunno what you mean by that, but...” He fidgeted with his fingers and his words. “Uh. Anyway, how long will you be here? Don’t you have work or something?” Zen was tired of looking at Jumin’s face. Yet he knew he was lying to himself.

He hated looking at Jumin’s beautiful, beautiful, eyes.He hated the corporate heir’s soothing and low voice. He hated Jumin’s messy but cute hair. And most of all, he hated the guy’s love and possession of money. All of them, false truths Zen had been telling himself for the weeks that he has known the corporate director. 

Zen hadn’t realized it until he saw himself gazing at every speck on Jumin’s seemingly perfect skin, every thread of fabric in his well made suit, and every shine and glimmer that was reflected in eyes. He didn’t realize that he had been completely false when he said he hated Jumin’s bluntness, his uncaring, unloving, personality until he looked at the corporate director and knew there was just so much more than that. That Jumin really wasn’t as abnormal as the RFA (and albeit Zen himself) made him out to be.

“Hmm. That’s a good question. I wasn’t expecting all of you to be here, so I may cancel some meetings to stay a bit longer,” Jumin considered, finally breaking Zen out of his trance of thought. He could only nod in response.

Zen noticed Jumin glance at V and Rika for a brief second, then look back at Zen’s red irises. Zen started to speak. “So, I—” 

“Do you hate me?” Jumin’s blunt question threw the actor completely off. 

“W-What?” Zen stammered.

“You heard me. Do you hate me?” Jumin asked again.

Zen didn’t know what to say. He looked towards the couple sitting across from them for possible help, but they were both doing their own thing. The actor looked back at Jumin, at his  eyes . Those preying eyes that were prying an answer out of Zen.

If he had been asked this a couple days earlier, Zen would’ve easily said yes. But now Zen has realized Jumin Han was not someone to be played with. This man had been taunting Zen indirectly by some kind of invisible thread. He wasn’t someone who acted without thinking. Everything Jumin said, everything Jumin did, was preplanned. Zen needed to beat Jumin at his own game. 

“I— I, uh...” Zen felt his heartbeat increase, pumping loudly through his chest.

“Well? Answer the question. “Though Jumin seemed casual about it, Zen was treating it as life or death. He considered every possibility. To win this game against this dude, Zen had to think like him first.

_ What does Jumin want to hear most? _

“I don’t hate you,” Zen said. He watched Jumin’s expression falter for a millisecond. “In fact, it’s the complete opposite.”


	9. the opposite of hate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jumin and Zen get a little flustered in an awkward conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally the long slow burn is getting faster!!! i guess??

The cold corporate executive’s expression had faltered when Zen said those words. 

_ “I don’t hate you. In fact, it’s the complete opposite.” _

“The complete opposite,” Jumin stated, repeating the phrase that Zen just said. He glanced at Zen with the hint of a smirk. “The opposite of hate is love, is it not...?”

Zen widened his eyes in confusion. “You asshole..!” He gritted his teeth in frustration. Zen was sick of playing this game with Jumin and wanted to call it quits. He didn’t understand how the guy kept up such a calm act the entire day. “I’ve been trying to be nice to you this entire time, and you just take it as a joke!? Seriously, dude, no wonder V is your only friend. No one else could settle for a prick like you!”

Jumin had never felt insecure about himself until now. 

The feeling was horrible. It felt like his heart had plummeted down a cliff. Why? Why’d Zen say such a thing?

He took in a deep breath. Not all was lost. He knew Zen didn’t have the best temper, but Jumin was not expecting this. He hated not expecting things. V and Rika had fallen silent, watching the two. He had to say something. “You’re misunderstanding me, Zen. That’s not at all what I—“

“Shut up. Everything about you is a misunderstanding,” Zen retorted. He stood up to leave but suddenly stopped. 

“Please.”

Jumin’s tone was pleading. He wanted something from the actor. Zen had never thought the director could stoop  this low. And for what reason? Something about this made him rethink his actions. He knew he was being a bit unreasonable. Besides, Zen couldn’t just leave this place, could he? V and Rika were both here too. He tried to think logically. Zen was just starting to feel like maybe, just maybe, Jumin could be his friend. He didn’t want to let go of that just for one thing. Maybe Zen was overdramatizing it.

Jumin, on the other hand, was using all of his willpower to keep himself composed. Usually, Jumin would prepare for the worst, and plan out every little thing that could happen. That’s how he was able to keep his emotionless front despite everything going on.

However, what he didn’t plan out, was Zen saying such a thing to Jumin, and the worst part was, he sincerely believed Zen was right. His hands were tugging at his cuffs, tugging at his suit that suddenly felt too tight for him.

“I’m being too much, aren’t I,” Jumin asked rhetorically. “Sorry, I must excuse himself.” He walked to the bathroom in the back of the café and looked at himself in the mirror for a good minute. Jumin needed to just think.

Think.

He looked exactly the same. What had he expected, anyway? Same hair that refused to lay flat, same piercing dark eyes, same neutral expression, and same suit. Jumin didn’t know what to do except prepare for the worst. What was the worst that could happen now? Zen could leave the RFA completely... Or he could start ghosting Jumin in the chats. He didn’t want to think of that possibility. He didn’t want to accept it as all his fault.

But was the guy really capable of doing all that? Then again, Jumin had to remember,he didn’t know Zen that well. It was so much to consider and so much to think about.

He was about to use the urinal when the door to the bathroom creaked once more. Zen walked in. 

Another something that Jumin didn’t expect. 

He stopped unbuckling his belt and glanced up. “Zen.” This was incredibly awkward timing.

The actor took in a breath and closed his eyes. “I’m sorry, Jumin, I dunno what came over me.”

“Don’t be. I shouldn’t have caused a fuss. I rarely do this, but I believe I must apologize for my actions.” Jumin smiled. But in his head, he didn’t know what he was doing. Something was coming over him as well.

Zen’s eyes crinkled as he smiled as well. “So, uh. Did you come in here to use the bathroom or what?”

“No, I was just thinking,” Jumin muttered. He fidgeted with his belt, hoping it wasn’t too obvious that he was lying.

“You do your thinking in a public bathroom? Jesus,” Zen said. “You’re weird.”

“Today is a weird day, I suppose,” Jumin replied. He felt his face tingle as he said that. When he looked in the mirror again, he saw something had changed. His cheeks had turned just a little pink. He looked back at Zen and noticed his were just the slightest shade darker as well. Jumin wondered if the other had noticed or not.

The two remained silent but neither of them left the bathroom. It seemed they were both waiting for the other to do something. What that something was...

“Ah-! A chatroom!” Zen exclaimed, pulling out his cell phone.

“Oh...” Jumin pulled out his as well, and opened it.

** [new chatroom] Café **

Jumin’s heart dropped seeing the title. It must be V or Rika. Or, most likely, both.

> _ V has entered the chatroom. _
> 
> _ ZEN has entered the chatroom. _
> 
> _ Jumin Han has entered the chatroom. _

Or as it ended up, just V.

> **ZEN** : Hi, V.
> 
> **Jumin Han** : ...
> 
> **V** : Jumin, why’d you run off to the bathroom? You’ve been using that move since we were kids.
> 
> **ZEN** : since you were kids?? lmaoo
> 
> **Jumin Han** : That’s...
> 
> **Jumin Han** : I really did need to use the bathroom.
> 
> **ZEN** : Thats not what you told me..
> 
> **Jumin Han** : I did both.
> 
> **V** : Zen, are you there with him?
> 
> **ZEN** : Yeah
> 
> **V** : Oh... you two aren’t...
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Aren’t...? 
> 
> **V** : Nothing.

Jumin looked up and caught Zen’s eye. “Do you think he meant...” Zen trailed off.

“Yes, he did,” Jumin groaned in annoyance. “I can’t believe V keeps on implying these kinds of things. Seriously, I’m not gay,” Jumin sighed. “And even if I am, V doesn’t need to keep trying to set me up with every man I meet.”

“Oh.” Zen laughed. “I’ve heard the rumors...” When Jumin didn’t respond, Zen looked at the corporate director and noticed he was focused on his phone instead.

> **Jumin Han** : V, honestly;;
> 
> **V** : What?
> 
> **ZEN** : Anyway, we’re leaving now. Stop worrying lol, we were just talking

“We’re leaving?” Jumin asked.

“Yes, Jumin. Public bathrooms are disgusting."

> **V** : Ok. Rika and I have got our stuff ready to pack up.
> 
> **V** : See you two.
> 
> **ZEN** : Bye
> 
> **Jumin Han** : See you.
> 
> _ Jumin Han has left the chatroom. _
> 
> _ ZEN has left the chatroom. _
> 
> _ V has left the chatroom. _

“...Alright.” Jumin still needed to use the bathroom, but he didn’t mention it. He started to walk towards the door. “So despite yelling at me earlier, you don’t hate me?”

“Geez, why do you care so much? I don’t,” Zen told him. “If I’m being honest, the one I really hate is...” 

Jumin pushed the door out of the bathroom as the two got out. He had noticed Zen didn’t finish his sentence. “Hm?”

“Ugh, nothing. No one you know. Guess I’ll see you around,” Zen huffed as he left the café. He seemed almost embarrassed for some reason. Jumin felt confused too. Not just because of Zen, but because of himself. Why did he act like that? It didn’t feel right. 

Jumin left the café in a hurry, not even bothering to glance at the photographer and his fiancée.


	10. seven and elly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jumin comes back home to a horrible sight and then calls Zen.

Jumin knew what he would see when he walked into the penthouse after work. Though it changed a little every time, he was usually greeted by Elizabeth the 3rd’s soft purrs. His house was usually clean, and Elizabeth was usually sitting on the couch, undisturbed.

However, it did not seem like today was a "usual" day. 

He could already hear some odd sounds as the elevator slowly ascended up to the top of the building. Jumin sighed to himself, thinking back to the café and everything that had happened today. He didn’t think about the sounds too much.

The elevator doors opened and Jumin stepped out, placing his briefcase on the table near him as his eyes darted around for his cat. “Elizabeth?” he called out. He heard some shuffling noises. That must be her, but in a different part of the house, Jumin assumed. As he ran around the house searching, he noticed it was messier than normal. Many of his items were stacked around the house like someone was looking for something. Had the maid not come in today? Jumin looked everywhere that his cat normally was but turned out empty handed. 

“Where could she be?” Jumin walked into his own bedroom to take off his suit jacket. His running around the entire place had left him panting for breath. Elizabeth couldn’t have ran off. She had been in the penthouse the entire time Jumin was at work. No one could get in except the maid and Jaehee (though Jaehee didn’t know that herself yet). If someone had robbed the place, he would be told by his bodyguards. He sat on the bed to catch his breath. Just then, he thought he heard someone else’s breathing. 

Surely, he was not going paranoid. Jumin held his breath. Silence followed.

“Meow!” Jumin glanced in the direction of the sound. It was coming from directly under him. No... she was under the bed?

“Elizabeth?” Jumin ducked his head to look. Sure enough, the cat was there. Along with someone else! Jumin squinted, as the underside of his bed was dark. They had brown hair, but Jumin noticed under it bits of red poked out. “And Luciel, it seems.”

Seven rolled out from under the bed. “Mr. Han! Good to see you!” he said in a high pitched voice. Was that supposed to resemble Jaehee?

That’s when Jumin realized that the hacker was dressed exactly as his assistant. The wig, albeit a bit messy now, was identical to Jaehee’s hairstyle, and his normal striped glasses were gone. The women’s suit was the same one Jaehee wore earlier. It was almost scary for Jumin to realize that the person in front of him was indeed a fellow member of the RFA, not his assistant.

Seven hid his hands behind his back and the corporate director only narrowed his eyes at the sight. “What’s in your hands?” he asked bluntly, cutting to the chase. Though Jumin had so many more questions than that. What was Seven doing in his penthouse? Did he get in by disguising himself? Not to mention, how did Seven even know what Jaehee wore today? The redhead with a wig looked almost identical compared to the real Jaehee Kang.

Seven laughed. How could he be so careless, Jumin didn’t understand. Jumin could do so much to Seven. He could fine him, kick him out, tell the bodyguards, the RFA, his own father—

But he wouldn’t. Because Seven was his friend. He was a fellow member of the RFA.

“Nothing, haha! By the way, there’s some very odd things under your bed, Mr. Han. Why do you have handcu—“

“Don’t call me Mr. Han. It makes me sick,” Jumin muttered as he walked over to 707. “You’re not Assistant Kang, no matter how much you look like her.” He grabbed the thing Seven was holding. It was a book. No, not just any book. It was Jumin’s journal.

“You write some very interesting things in there, sir,” Seven grinned. “Especially about a certain someone...!”

Jumin took a deep breath. This wasn’t just a weird day now, it was a bad day. “Get out,” he demanded, his tone cold as ice.

“But what about Elly? I was playing with her!” Seven grinned nervously.

“Get. Out.” Jumin was only more infuriated hearing this. He knew he promised Seven that he could play with Elizabeth since he texted Zen for him, but not like this. Not by breaking into his penthouse and taking his stuff. Both of which were most definitely illegal. Seven scurried away, walking a bit unsteadily in the high heels that he was wearing. Jumin heard the door slam shut. 

Looking at the book— no, journal, in his hands, he read through it. Jumin’s had this journal ever since he met Rika, who had suggested him have one. He flipped to the most recent page. And under his own entry he saw someone else’s handwriting under it. Seven’s.

_ Lololol sounds like someone has a crush~~ _

Under that was a crude drawing of what Jumin hoped wasn’t himself with Zen. It was drawn so badly that Jumin could only assume what the two in it were doing. 

He groaned. When had the redhead gotten so good at this? If Jumin hadn’t worked late, maybe Seven wouldn’t be here. And if Jumin hadn’t went to the café, he wouldn’t have worked late. It all came back to that, didn’t it?

Jumin needed to investigate this. He went to a room with multiple computers to look at the security footage. What exactly did Seven do? And why?

—

Zen had just finished showering and was drying his hair when Jumin called. 

“Hello?”

“Hello, Zen. Have you eaten dinner yet?” Jumin’s voice flowed smoothly into Zen’s ears.

“Oh... not yet,” Zen admitted. “I just took a shower but I’m about to make it.”

“I see. So you usually take your showers in the evening?” Jumin asked. What a weird question, Zen thought.

“Yeah, since I’m usually sweaty from rehearsal,” Zen noticed Jumin didn’t reply. “H...How about you? When do you shower?” God damn it. Zen muttered profanities at himself, realizing that his question was phrased even odder than Jumin’s.

“I shower in the morning to help wake myself up,” Jumin replied.

“Makes sense,” Zen muttered. 

“So have you thought over what happened at the café?”

“What! Why’d you have to mention that, man?” Zen exclaimed.

“It’s not like anything happened. We just talked,” Jumin stated.

“Well, what am I supposed to think about it anyway? It was weird. I don’t ever wanna go to that café again. Which sucks, because I liked their drinks,” Zen complained.

“I thought you were a beer person.”

“I thought you were a wine guy.”

“I am,” Jumin agreed. “I didn’t like the café, but I can see why Jihyun and Rika like it.”

Something about all of this made Zen really happy. Just talking causally with Jumin like this. Zen felt like he seemed more friendly and less unapproachable the more he learned about the CEO in-line. Yes, he and Jumin has different opinions on a lot of things. But they could agree to disagree. They could accept each other’s differences.

“Jihyun?” Zen asked.

“Seems you don’t know. Jihyun is V’s real name.”

“Oh, right. No one ever calls him that.”

“Yes, he started going by V when he became a photographer. I still call him that occasionally since I’ve referred to V as ‘Jihyun’ since we were kids.”

“Cool. I don’t have many childhood friends, at least not any like you and V,” Zen explained.

“Friendships are all different.”

“That's true, I guess. I’ve changed a lot since my childhood, so that’s part of it too.”

Jumin didn’t say anything for a few moments. Zen got nervous. Has he said something wrong?

“Would you like to come to my penthouse sometime?” Jumin suddenly asked. 

“What? Oh...” That came as a surprise. Zen would’ve said yes, but he remembered the dream he had. He really did not want to kiss the dude at that rich-ass penthouse. “Could you come to my place instead?”

“Interesting. Do you have something against my penthouse?” Jumin asked, avoiding the question. “Are you afraid of heights?”

Zen groaned. “No, of course not!” When he didn’t hear a response, he continued. “Do... Do you have a glowing blue fish tank in your penthouse? And a huge window next to it overlooking the city?” he asked, recalling the place in his dream. He prayed that Jumin would say no, call Zen paranoid for saying a thing, anything but a perplexed yes.

“Have you been to my penthouse before?” Jumin questioned, suspicion lacing his words. “Please do explain.”

“I’m right, aren’t I?” Zen assumed sadly. Jumin’s lack of a reply only proved Zen’s point.

“Did Seven tell you?”

“Seven? Has he been to your place?” Zen replied in confusion.

“Oh. You don’t know. It’s nothing,” said Jumin.

“‘It’s nothing!?’” Zen quoted. “Why should I have to explain myself when you’re hiding things too?”

“Hmm.” Jumin considered both options. If Zen explained to Jumin, nothing would be satisfied besides his curiosity. But if Jumin had to tell Zen about what Seven did, he might have to mention his diary. Or, he could leave that part out.Which is what Jumin decided to do. “Today, I came home to find Luciel playing with Elizabeth the 3rd. He was dressed just like my assistant, even with high heels. I have no idea how he got in, but I thought he might have told you something.”

“That’s crazy!” Zen exclaimed. “You should’ve taken a picture of Seven dressed like that.”

“A lost opportunity, I suppose,” Jumin replied. “Now. How did you know what my penthouse looked like?” 

Zen shuddered. How was he supposed to explain the fact he had prophetic dreams? Jumin didn’t seem like the type to believe in stuff like that. Yet there didn’t seem to be any other choice. “Okay, so this might sound crazy. But I had this dream several days ago where I was at your penthouse. And that’s what it looked like!” 

“A dream. Interesting,” Jumin said. Zen didn’t know if the dude was feigning sarcasm. He wouldn’t be surprised if he was, anyway. The story didn’t sound the most believable. “What happened in the dream?”

“I... I don’t really remember,” Zen told him. “We were just both in the penthouse.”

A long silence followed.

“You’re lying.”

Zen groaned. “Damn it, how’d you know?”

“I didn’t. But now I do,” Jumin stated simply.

Zen sighed. This guy was too smart. He was probably smirking to himself on the other end of the line. “Okay, fine. More than that happened. We talked and...”

“And what?”

“I can’t...” He shivered. “I have to go. Sorry.” Zen hung up. If Jumin was able to catch him lying earlier, he definitely knew that Zen was avoiding the situation now. The only thing Jumin could do now was imagine what might have happened. Oh well. It was just a dream. He'd probably be a little curious at the most. 


	11. the bribe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seven and Yoosung (sort of) bribe Jaehee.

Almost two weeks had passed and Jumin was unfortunately not able to find anything in the security footage. Seven had hacked it and it just showed nothing out of the ordinary appearing, even when both Jumin and Seven were in the penthouse. It was honestly just astonishing Seven did all that for this. He wondered, what was the hacker’s goal in all this? What was he really looking for? Jumin did have some private items of his own, but it seemed like Seven had found almost all of them. Emphasis on the almost, of course. 

Anyways, Jumin didn’t particularly care at the moment because it wasn’t his main priority. It was most likely just one of the redhead’s pranks again. Nothing to worry.

On another hand, he had pestered Zen enough to reluctantly accept Jumin’s offer to meet at his penthouse. Zen would have had Jumin come to his apartment instead, but he had some problems with the lights and electricity bill in his small living area, so he decided a break from all the home issues would be nice. They had planned to meet on a Friday evening, as during the weekend he tended to be busy with performances. Zen only wished it wouldn’t end like it did in his dream.

That same day that Zen would visit Jumin’s house Seven and Yoosung walked into the C&R office building. 

“Are... Are you sure this is legal, Seven?” Yoosung asked, the nervousness in his tone becoming more apparent by the minute.

“Yes, it’s a public area, silly~” Seven laughed. They found the Chief Assistant, Jaehee Kang, standing and marking some things on a sheet of paper.

“Hello, you’re Ms. Kang?” Seven said, finding the woman who had recently cut her hair and started wearing glasses.

She turned and looked at him, confused. These two men did not seem to be an employee at C&R. They were both wearing simple T-shirts and jeans. Jaehee narrowed her eyes in a perplexed manner before answering. “Yes, and you two are...?”

“I’m Yoosung Kim!” The high schooler grinned at her in a cheeky manner. Jaehee turned to Seven, expecting an answer as well.

Seven thought for a moment. Which of his names should he give? 707 seemed too odd to tell her, so ended up going with his baptismal name. “Luciel. So... can you do a favor for us?” 

“What is it?” Jaehee was not completely sure if this was part of her job, but she decided not to take chances. From her past two weeks working for Jumin, she learned that he was strict and specific on what he wanted. She’d seen him fire workers on a single whim, and she didn’t want to be next.

“You’re Jumin Han’s assistant, right?” Seven asked, trying to smile genially,but it ended up just making the mood more awkward than it already was. The woman nodded, so Seven continued. “Could you put this pen in his penthouse?” He held out what seemed to be a normal silver pen.

She looked even more suspicious of Seven’s motive. Jaehee’s eyes went back and forth between the pen and Seven’s awkward expression. “And why should I do this?”

The hacker widened his eyes, unsure how to respond. Yoosung answered instead. “We, uh... We can give you mon—“

“Oh, please. I have a job, as you can see.” 

She started walking away until Seven said, “I have tickets.”

Without turning around, she questioned, “For what?”

“Zen’s show. It’s in a few weeks, it’s front row.” These tickets were quite easy to get when you knew Zen personally. Jaehee reluctantly turned around and Seven held up the tickets. 

“You can even bring a friend!” Yoosung added.

She stopped and looked at the tickets. Jaehee had been to enough productions of musicals that she knew it was legit. How’d they know this weakness of hers? “You two are part of RFA, aren’t you?”

_Shit_ , Seven thought. Was it that obvious? This “Jaehee” seemed a lot less oblivious than he initially assumed. Now Seven realized why Jumin picked her. He looked at Yoosung, who had a similar expression of perplexed shock painted on his face. This felt way harder than any mission he’s had to do when being an informant. Hacking was so much easier than talking to people. “That’s...

“Yes, we’re part of RFA. We’re his friends, okay? Just...” Yoosung pleaded. Seven elbowed him and gave him a look. The high schooler really didn’t need to say that.

Jaehee hesitated. This was most definitely not part of her job at this point, but the tickets were worth it. And her job was a bit boring, so she was curious and interested to do this task. “Fine.”

Seven and Yoosung then explained what to do. The pen was actually a recording device, and clicking the top would start it. He requested her to put it in Jumin’s penthouse in a few hours. Seven would’ve done it himself, but seeing as that went last time, he decided not to take any chances. She agreed to do it, feeling a bit ambitious, almost, and Seven grinned to himself. His plan was set in motion.

“Can I see your phone? I’ll give you my number and you can have access to more good ticket deals in the future!” Seven requested.

She raised an eyebrow. “No.”

“C’mon, pleaseee?” Seven pleaded, hoping a different approach might change her mind.

“I’m already doing a favor for you,” Jaehee continued.

Seven’s hands trembled at his sides as he thought of other ideas. “I’ll... I’ll give you Honey Buddha Chips! I’ll give my SEVEN SUPERSTAR drink! I—“

“No! Listen. I can’t waste my time. Please stop being so immature,” Jaehee sighed. She started to walk away.

Seven was about to say something else, but Yoosung stopped him. “Geez, you need to know when to stop!”

707 blinked and looked in the young boy’s bright purple eyes. “I— yeah, you’re right. Just wanted to mess with her, I guess. I actually have her number anyway.” A laugh forced its way out of his mouth. He needed to get back to his car. “Let’s go.” The two walked outside, Seven’s pace somewhat faster than it had been originally.

“That Ms. Kang seems polite! It’s super cool that she’s a fan too,” Yoosung admitted after a few moments of brief silence between the two.

“Really? I thought that she was a bit stubborn,” Seven replied, his eyes darting around now that they were in plain public, which was a lot more crowded than the office building. He hated walking around in the broad daylight. It always made him suspicious and uncomfortable that someone would recognize him for something that he’d rather not say. He got out some cash and handed it to Yoosung. “Here you go. Thanks for tagging along with me.”

“It’s nothing!” Yoosung exclaimed with glee, pocketing the money. “I guess I can buy my own Honey Buddha Chips with this!”

Seven laughed as the two got in his car. He liked Yoosung’s giddy excitement. It reminded him of a child, and, well, Yoosung was a kid. Though the hacker was only a couple years older, he had already felt set for life with his career. Yoosung was the opposite. He had rarely mentioned his dream job or future career, even though he would be graduating high school in about 6 months. Though they did have some similarities, he supposed. Which was why they clicked so well together. 

He took a swig of PhD Pepper in the cup holder. “What’d you think of that?” Seven asked Yoosung.

“That was fun! I definitely want to do it again. But...” He stopped speaking abruptly.

“What is it? You can tell me anything,” Seven assured him.

“Well... ah, why do you need the pen in Jumin’s penthouse? I mean, I heard what you told Ms. Kang, but...” Yoosung stammered.

“Oh. Didn’t you know he’s meeting up with Zen tonight?”

“Really? Why?” Yoosung asked.

“I dunno. They didn’t mention it in the chatrooms, only to each other,” Seven explained.

“How do you know then?” Yoosung said.

“And that shall remain a secret~” Seven said as his lipss curled into a grin.

Still not convinced, Yoosung opened a chatroom to see for himself.

> ** [new chatroom] Is it True.....? **
> 
> _ Yoosung has entered the chatroom. _
> 
> _ ZEN has entered the chatroom. _
> 
> **Yoosung** : Oh Zen!! perfect timing!!
> 
> **ZEN** : Timing?? For what?
> 
> **Yoosung** : I was going to ask you something...
> 
> **Yoosung** : Is it true that you’re going to Jumin’s penthouse tonight?
> 
> **ZEN** : ....
> 
> **ZEN** : Yeah. You got me.
> 
> **ZEN** : But I didn’t want to go! That guy just kept asking me about it so I just accepted to shut him up!!
> 
> **Yoosung** : I’m not judging you for it lol
> 
> **Yoosung** : I’ve never been to his penthouse before, but I bet it’s really huge and amazing!!
> 
> **ZEN** : No kidding, Jumin’s rich af...
> 
> **Yoosung:** Yeah! It’s so cool!
> 
> **Yoosung** : This might sound kinda weird, but I think of Jumin as a role model of sorts.
> 
> **Yoosung** : It’s just he accomplished so much and he’s only 25!
> 
> **ZEN** : T_T
> 
> **ZEN** : really?? Isn’t most of it inherited?
> 
> **Yoosung** : I guess, yeah...
> 
> _ Jumin Han has entered up the chatroom. _
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Oh, Yoosung. Nice to see you back in the chatrooms.
> 
> **Jumin Han** : I haven’t seen you for the past few days.
> 
> **Yoosung** : Yeah I’ve been busy studying lol
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Good to know you’ve been keeping up with schoolwork.
> 
> **ZEN** : You’re not gonna greet me?
> 
> **Jumin Han** : I just was about to.
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Good afternoon, Zen.
> 
> **ZEN** : .........
> 
> **Yoosung** : Anyway we were just talking about you Jumin 
> 
> **Yoosung** : Is it true that you inherited most of your money?
> 
> **Jumin Han** : I’m not completely sure myself. But I definitely have made a lot of money for myself and the company.
> 
> **ZEN** : Figures. -_-
> 
> **Jumin Han** : I know I shouldn’t like money, and that it doesn’t make me happy.
> 
> **Yoosung** : Really? Then why’s everyone trying to get more of it??
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Money helps to an extent. 
> 
> **Jumin Han** : But there’s a point where it’s obviously excessive.
> 
> **ZEN** : then why do you still have so much of it?
> 
> **Jumin Han** : I don’t know. That’s the problem.
> 
> **Yoosung** : Uhh sorry to stop the discussion
> 
> **Yoosung** : But it’s true you two are meeting up this evening?? Zen said yes so i'm asking Jumin
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Yes. How do you know about that?
> 
> **ZEN** : i never mentioned it in the chatrooms;;
> 
> **Yoosung** : ummmmm can’t say

He noticed that Seven’s car had pulled up to his house. Yoosung typed a quick goodbye as he thanked Seven.

> **Yoosung** : bye
> 
> **ZEN** : ?? Bye...
> 
> **Jumin Han** : See you.
> 
> _ Yoosung has left the chatroom. _
> 
> **ZEN** : and now it’s back to us two again T_T
> 
> **Jumin Han** : And what’s wrong with that?
> 
> **ZEN** : .........
> 
> **ZEN:** well do you have anything you’d like to say to me?
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Anything I can tell you now I can save for the evening.
> 
> **ZEN** : Alright
> 
> **ZEN** : I’ll be on my way
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Let me excuse myself first.
> 
> **Jumin Han** : Have a good evening, Zen.
> 
> _ Jumin Han has left the chatroom. _
> 
> **ZEN** : He really needed to do that, didn’t he...
> 
> **ZEN** : I’m definitely not going to have a good evening if i’ll be spending it with him lmao
> 
> _ ZEN has left the chatroom. _


	12. at the penthouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jumin and Zen meet at the penthouse. Unbeknownst to them, Seven and Yoosung are watching the two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok i just realized yoosung's hair was brown before rika "died" soo now i have to reread this fic so far and make changes if i mentioned his hair being blond ;-;
> 
> also don't ask why seven wants to spy on them so bad. he's weird like that.

“You’re late.”

Zen glared at Jumin for that insensitive remark. “And? Maybe you should buy a faster elevator.”

“I am merely just pointing it out,” Jumin answered, not commenting on Zen’s last sentence.

“So  this is where you live? My god,” Zen couldn’t help but gape at all the rooms and the largeness of it all.

Jumin did some sort of awkward half-smile. “Would you like a tour?”

“Uh... as long as it’s not too long, sure,” Zen accepted.

Jumin led him through the living room, balcony, bedroom, kitchen, second living room, second bedroom, a room for Elizabeth, and his home office. All throughout the time Zen noticed there wasn’t much furniture in many of the rooms. It seemed the corporate heir didn’t get visitors often. Which made sense, Zen supposed. But he felt bad for Jumin. Even though many people his age lived by themselves, Jumin’s place gave off this isolated and lonely atmosphere that Zen’s apartment never had. Many of these rooms looked like they were rarely used.

Jumin was about to show some more rooms, but he stopped himself. “Let’s go to the kitchen. I have some food prepared.”

“I already ate before I got here,” Zen told him, though that wasn’t true.

The other sighed. “That’s fine.” Jumin opened a nearby cabinet and pulled out a bottle of wine, as well as, surprisingly, a can of beer he had bought for Zen earlier. “Care for a drink, at the least.” He didn’t say it as a question, almost as an order.

“I guess.” Zen took the can while Jumin poured the wine into a wine glass. “Do you drink often?”

Jumin hesitated from his first sip to consider the question. “I drink several times a week.”

Zen refrained from taking a sip of his beer to respond as well. “Geez, you’re gonna become an alcoholic any time now.”

“I will not. I can stop anytime I want,” Jumin insisted. He started to raise the glass to his lips, but Zen stopped him again.

“Then stop drinking.”

“Alright.” Jumin complied, and poured his wine into the sink. Zen could only watch in surprise. He did not expect Jumin to be that spontaneous. He thought this dude was the most predictable one of the RFA. “But it’s only fair if you do the same.”

“The same? You mean...” Zen glanced at his own can. “No. What the hell?”

“Then it will seem like you are the alcoholic instead,” Jumin stated.

Zen’s hand pressed around the aluminium can. How was Jumin able to turn the argument around just like that? He hated to admire it. “Fine.”

A smile formed on Jumin’s face as Zen poured his own drink into the sink. Zen found himself oddly proud of himself seeing Jumin pleased with this agreement. Then a thought formed into the actor’s head.

“Even if we don’t drink now, we could drink later,” Zen pointed out. “What’re you gonna do about that?”

“I was considering that.” Jumin started to pace around the table, circling Zen which only confused him more. “We could calculate our blood alcohol content ratios every day.”

“What? We can’t do those tests ourselves.”

“I’m aware. I’m kidding,” Jumin said. He tried to laugh, but Zen’s confused glare didn’t help.

“Your jokes aren’t very funny, y’know,” Zen sighed. Why did this guy try to be funny when it was so obvious how bad he was at it?”

“Humor is a skill in itself. I aim to improve in it,” Jumin explained.

Zen just sighed. Of course Jumin would see it like that. “And why do you want to improve?”

“Because I must be perfect in everything,” Jumin answered monotonously. 

Zen looked back up at Jumin, hoping that was another joke, but when he saw the corporate heir’s deadpan expression, he could only assume that Jumin was serious this time.

“Besides,” Jumin continued, “you don’t need to stop drinking. That was just a ruse. However, I will admit it isn’t the best habit of mine.” 

Zen sighed. Now it felt like he wasted his beer for nothing. “When did you start drinking?” Zen questioned all of a sudden. Though he was curious, he didn’t intend to ask that out loud.

“About 4 years ago. But it’s partially because of V and my father,” Jumin explained. “What about you?”

“Oh...” Zen nervously laughed. “I started drinking before I was legal, when I was 18.”

“18? That’s quite young. But that would mean we started around the same time, since you’re 22 now,” Jumin noted.

“Have you ever smoked before?” Zen asked.

“No. V does, however I’ve never felt inclined to try it. It causes a variety of lung problems,” Jumin said, using careful reasoning to back his opinion.

“V smokes?” Zen said in surprise. “I never knew that about him.”

“Another one of his awfully bad habits,” Jumin sighed. “Rika’s also tried getting him to stop, but to no avail so far.”

“Yeah, I kinda regret starting,” Zen said pessimistically. This conversation was only making him feel bad. To change the topic, he instead eyed Jumin’s wine cabinet. “Um... so since I guess we’re drinking, do you have any more beer?”

“The one you poured into the sink was the only one I had,” Jumin stated. He noticed Zen’s twitch in expression, and then said, “I can get another if you’d like.”

“You really don’t need to,” Zen said. “Y’know, I— I can go get one myself.” He didn’t want to be in the dude’s penthouse anymore anyway. Their talk was too boring for him to stay.

“Allow me to come with you,” Jumin offered.

Zen gave him a look. “Have you even been to a convenience store?”

“There’s a first time for everything,” Jumin pointed out.

Zen groaned. “Why don’t you stay here? Don’t you have your cat or something to take care of?” 

“I left Elizabeth with my assistant,” Jumin explained. “Since you’re allergic, I figured you wouldn’t like her being here.”

Zen’s eyes widened. Why did Jumin do such a thing? All the guy talked about was his cat, yet he decided to leave her just for him? He didn’t know how to feel on that. Zen looked at Jumin’s eyes. The corporate director’s countenance reminded him of something. It was that same pleading look from the café, which was the last thing Zen wanted to remember.

“I can’t say no to you, can I?” Zen gave in

Jumin’s smile became a hint of a smirk. “I assume that means I can come with?”

Zen nodded in defeat. “Besides, I think it’ll be funny seeing you at a normal store.”

“Funny? What’s so funny about that?” 

“You’ll see,” Zen smiled for the first time that evening as the elevator opened and the two stepped in.

—

“Dammit!” Seven muttered to himself. “They left his house!” 

“Huh?” Yoosung asked from next to him. He had visited Seven’s house for what the hacker had called a ‘secret mission’ which ended up as spying on Jumin and Zen. “Can I listen?”

“Sure.” Seven groaned as he handed his premium looking headphones to Yoosung. 

Yoosung held them to his ears and listened. “Is it not working? I don’t hear anything.”

“Exactly.” Seven took the headphones from Yoosung. “They decided to go to a convenience store.”

“Wait, Jumin? Going to a convenience store?” Yoosung said in surprise. 

“I know, right?” Seven agreed. “Anyway, we better tag along.”

“Follow Jumin and Zen!?” Yoosung exclaimed. “Isn’t that a bit much? I mean, what we’re doing here is already kinda illegal, soo...”

“Ahaha, it does sound like a lot, doesn’t it?” Seven grinned at the other. “But honestly, I think something interesting will happen between them tonight...” he trailed off and didn’t go into details.

“What? ‘Interesting?’ Jeesh, Seven, I’m not really curious. Besides, I have to volunteer with Rika tomorrow in the morning,” Yoosung argued. He started to get up.

“I’ll let you ride in my car~” Seven offered.

The high schooler student’s eyes sparkled with awe. “Really?”

“Yes, haha.” This kid was too easy to manipulate, Seven thought to himself. Well, manipulate made him sound malicious. It was more like... using to his benefit.

Yoosung pouted to himself as he weighed the pros and cons in his head. “Okay, fine, I guess. You’re talking about the convertible, right?”

The redhead nodded. Yoosung was bouncing in excitement. He had only rode in Seven’s convertible once before, and described it as one of the most thrilling experiences in his life. Though Seven did not completely agree, he was glad Yoosung liked it. Apparently, not even Jumin owned a car this expensive.

Seven sat on the driver’s side, and Yoosung in the other. The night air settled between them before it turned into a wind as Seven started to drive. 

“Wow, driving at night feels so much cooler!” Yoosung exclaimed.

Seven glanced over at Yoosung and saw the student was gazing up at the sky. “I love watching the stars.”

“Really? A lot of people think it’s kind of weird, haha,” Yoosung admitted.

“Honestly? I went stargazing every day for the last couple years until I turned 20,” Seven told him. “Watching the sky, the universe, shouldn’t be weird. It’s just appreciating nature, but on a wider scale.”

“Thanks, Seven. Didn’t expect that from you,” Yoosung replied.

Seven paused in his thoughts for a moment. He was being a bit more serious than normal, wasn’t he? He shook it off quickly and returned back to the road. Seven’s house was quite a distance from the city, so unless he drove fast, Jumin and Zen might as well be back at the penthouse when he arrived. 

“The thing about space is...” Seven hesitated. Did he really need to tell Yoosung this? No, it was for himself, anyway. “No matter where someone is, you know that they are looking up at the same sky and stars.”

“No.” Yoosung looked at Seven, confused. “If one person is in the Northern Hemisphere and the other is in the Southern, then it’s not the same.”

Seven didn’t know what to say to that. “You sound like Jumin.”

“Oh, I guess I kinda do, hehe~” Yoosung laughed to himself. “Sorry. You’re mostly right.”

Seven and Yoosung continued talking about space, and Seven felt the small amount of hope in his chest grow just a little bit more. This was just a useless prank, formulated out of his own curiosity. There was no benefit other than his own satisfaction. The pointlessness of it all was so ironic. Did Yoosung understand that? 

Seven caught a glance at the purple-eyed boy. He was now staring at all the high-rise buildings. They were now driving downtown, at a much slower rate due to the traffic. 

“Hey, that’s where Jumin’s penthouse is, right?” Yoosung pointed to a building, a skyscraper, one of the tallest in Korea.

“Yup. And the convenience store is right there. If we were fast enough they should still be inside,” Seven told him.

“Yeah! Let’s go in!”


	13. the convenience store

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jumin and Zen go to the convenience store, and then realize that Yoosung and Seven had been eavesdropping on them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i feel like this is really short but it's not really. anyway sorry i haven't updated for some time, i wrote this kinda slowly lol.
> 
> anyways, i saw this got a *lot* more kudos as of late. like 20 or 30 when i usually get like 5. thank you so much everyone! glad you like this story!

“Here it is, in all its glory,” Zen sighed as the automatic doors opened to the convenience store.

“Oh.” It was a lot more different than Jumin expected. He had seen grocery stores before, so he had wrongly assumed that a convenience store was the same thing, give or take. “It’s smaller than I imagined.”

Zen gave him a look. “Not everything is the size of your penthouse.”

“I wonder if there happens to be any wine here,” Jumin said.

“Nothing your expensive ass would want,” Zen muttered.

Jumin’s frown only deepened when he heard Zen. “What’s with the insults?”

Zen widened his eyes, now then realizing what he had said. He hadn’t really seen what he said as an insult. But it wasn’t a surprise to see that the corporate heir had a different perspective. “Sorry. But really, your expensive type of wine is probably not going to be here. Or any wine at all.”

Jumin browsed through the small aisles, his eyes skimming from the brightly colored chips to the neutral toned bottles of water in the refrigerated section. “Some of this commoner food is extremely unhealthy. How can some people eat this?”

Zen stifled a laugh when he heard Jumin say ‘commoner food’. Then he groaned to himself, because he usually hated Jumin’s jokes, or attempt at a joke, as Zen would say. “I know. It’s so hard to keep healthy when I see these foods all the time.”

“So you have a good diet, I assume.”

Zen gaped in shock. “Of course. You think I got this beautiful body by eating ramen and soda!?”

Jumin just looked at him. “Beautiful body, you said?”

“Ugh. Stop twisting my words,” Zen muttered. He walked away to a different section to get his normal brand of beer. 

“Wait.” By some surprise, Zen stopped walking. “Do you pay for everything at the front there?”

Zen groaned in annoyance yet again. “Seriously, what is wrong with you? Yes, of course you go to the front. Do you think we just leave with the stuff without paying?”

Jumin wasn’t sure what to say. He was disappointed that this wasn’t his area of expertise. But then again, like he had said earlier, there was a first time for everything. Though he was pretty sure Zen had an impression he had no knowledge of a normal life in Korea, he wanted to prove him wrong. Issue was, Zen was right: he had no idea what a normal lifestyle was like. Jumin had lived in his luxury since he was a child, and though he was friends with V, the photographer definitely had not had a normal childhood either.

When he and Zen stood in line, Jumin suddenly got this sinking feeling deep down in his stomach. It was then when he realized something was horribly off. It was nighttime, and he hadn’t brought his bodyguards, which was out of the ordinary for Jumin. Someone could easily be watching Zen and himself, when they were both defenseless. 

“Hyun…” Jumin murmured under his breath.

“What?”

“Do you get the feeling we’re being watched?” He tried to sound casual about it, but it must’ve come out  _ too  _ casual, because the actor didn’t seem to care.

“Of course. I’m famous, y’know~” Zen grinned. “And I guess you’re rich too, so yeah.”

Jumin’s eyes darted around the small store. It was then when he realized he saw two faces at the window. But it was too dark outside and too bright inside to tell who it was. “Look.” He pointed in the direction of the window, but the faces had disappeared when Zen had looked.

“Uh… there’s nothing there. We’re fine,” Zen said. He laughed to ease the tension. “Seriously, Jumin. It’s not even that late.”

Jumin decided he should probably stop worrying, because he found the feeling and the thought pointless. Zen was right, anyways. 

Just like at the café, Jumin paid for the beer. Zen gave him the same look he had last time too. Jumin only smiled. It was like a joke between them. Well, Zen probably didn’t think of it like that.

“Thanks,” Zen grumbled as the two left the café and they started to walk back to his penthouse. The night air was surprisingly warm, and it sent a shiver down Jumin’s neck for some reason. He glanced around and noticed there was no one around them. Until Jumin realized there was a certain sports car parked very close to the convenience store. 

“Doesn’t that convertible look familiar?” he asked Zen.

“No…? Is it yours?”

“I...I believe it’s Luciel’s.” Jumin started to walk towards it while Zen complained.

“What? Can’t we go back to your place?” Zen asked, who was only watching when Jumin walked towards the expensive convertible. It was bright red with a white stripe painted on it horizontally. Zen couldn’t deny that it seemed like something that the redhead could own. But really? Wasn’t Jumin being too much? Maybe he was overthinking things? Questions filled Zen’s head. Wasn’t this illegal to look in someone’s car like that anyway?

Zen’s heart stopped when he heard another voice.

“Aw man, they found us Seven!” Zen’s eyes widened. That could only be…

“I was correct. Yoosung and Luciel, honestly?” Zen realized that Jumin’s tone had changed completely then when he had spoken to Zen. It had that cold distant feel that reminded him of when they first met. “Did you enjoy spying on Hyun and I?”

Zen inched closer to the car, and he was shocked to see that it really was the hacker and the high schooler sitting in the convertible. “Seven? Yoosung? Is Jumin right…?”

“No—”

“I’m so sorry! It was all Seven’s idea!” Yoosung blamed.

“That’s not what I told you to say!” Seven exclaimed. Feigning ignorance, he realized what he said. “Oopsies, you caught us.”

Jumin just glared at them. “You’re smarter than this, Luciel. Parking your car right next to the convenience store? And tracking us with a voice recording pen? Honestly.” He was scolding him not for spying on them, but for how badly he did it.

“Wait, what? A pen?” Zen said in shock. He was even more confused now.

“How did you know?” Yoosung piped up.

“That’s for me to know,” Jumin replied coldly. 

As Zen watched the situation unfold, Jumin’s calm demeanor in front of Seven and Yoosung, he found himself admiring Jumin yet again. How was this the same guy who didn’t know how to buy food from the store?

“Ugh…” Seven sighed in sadness. “This was my most exciting mission yet.” He opened a bottle of PhD Pepper and started drinking from it with a frown. 

“Mission?” Yoosung inquired. “You mean… this was for your work?”

“No, Yoosung, can’t you tell he’s bluffing?” Jumin showed. “Just… you two. Go home.” He started to walk away with Zen. 

“ _ What  _ the hell were they doing? And why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve watched what I said if I knew they were listening!” Zen exclaimed to Jumin as they trotted along the sidewalk.

“Really.” Jumin stopped and stood where he was. He furrowed his brows, like Zen had said something wrong. “What would you say that you wouldn’t want them to hear?”

Confused by what Jumin said, Zen continued to ask questions. “Can you just explain what Seven and Yoosung did? What was all that about a pen?”

“No, answer my question first. What would you say to me that you wouldn’t say to them?”

Zen started walking again, but reluctantly answered it. “I mean… I wouldn’t like that they’d be listening to a conversation that I consider private. You know, how you hear that news on how the government could be listening to everyone. Even if you’re not saying anything bad it’s just— uncomfortable.”

“Ah,” Jumin breathed. “For your question. Luciel bribed my assistant into planting a pen in my penthouse this morning. The pen would record sound and transmit it to Luciel. But of course, Assistant Kang told me about his plan before anything else."

Zen widened his eyes. “Damn, she still told you? That’s a good assistant.”

“Yes… I only hired her two weeks ago. She’s very competent in her work.”

“So did Seven just hand her the money and she accepted? Or did she reject it at first?” Zen asked. He was very eager to learn more about the story.

“Actually, Luciel didn’t bribe Assistant Kang with money,” Jumin replied. He didn’t expect Zen to be this invested in the story like that.

“Then… what did he bribe her with?”

“She told me that it was actually… tickets. Tickets to one of your shows.”

Jumin laughed just the slightest when he saw Zen’s quite literal jaw dropping expression. “Your assistant… watches MY shows?”

“Yes. In fact, that’s the only reason she accepted it.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“I wouldn’t, and you know that. Assistant Kang told me on the day of her interview that she was a big fan of you.”

Zen grinned, obviously very happy. Jumin smiled too. He was so glad that Zen didn’t dislike him as much as the actor used to. 

“Wow,” Zen said in amazement. “That’s… I’ve never really met or knew any of my fans in person. You’ve got to tell me more, Jumin."


	14. likes and dislikes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They talk, and then argue. But then something happens that on escalates it further.

“Wow, she’s coming to the party too!” Zen said as Jumin explained how his assistant obviously was Zen’s fan. “I’m surprised she even noticed me. I’m not very well-known, unfortunately.” The two were sitting across from each other, a marbled countertop between the two. It was well through evening as was obvious by the dark windows. They hadn’t established a time to leave, and Jumin hasn’t expected Zen to stay that long anyway.

Jumin remembered how Rika had suggested him to offer Zen money and perhaps something at C&R. “If you want to get noticed, I still have not taken back my offer.”

“Offer...?” Zen questioned. The look of confusion made Jumin aware to the fact that Zen didn’t remember. “What are you talking about?”

“You’ve forgotten,” Jumin stated. “I’veoffered to give you money to help you with your acting career.” Zen’s confused expression didn’t waver, so Jumin continued. “I said it when we met for the first time... it was at V’s house.”

“Oh!” Zen exclaimed. “Yeah, yeah, I remember now. You were so odd about it though! Why do you want to help me so bad?”

“That’s...” Jumin hesitated. He had hoped Zen would change his opinion and accept the offer by this point, but it didn’t seem that way. “Rika had asked me to.”

“Really?” Zen wasn’t expecting that answer.

“Yes. She was hoping my assets would help you, since she’s a fan, as you know.” Jumin took his eyes off the ground and looked at Zen again. “But why did you refuse?”

“C’mon, dude, I just didn’t want any help. I’ve gotten this far on my own,” Zen answered.

“But you accepted Luciel’s help,” Jumin argued.

“What are you talking about?” Zen furrowed his eyebrows, starting to get annoyed. “We’ve been fine this entire night, and now you’re starting an argument?”

“No. You’re the one getting so riled up about it. I’m simply referring to the fact that Luciel posted that video online of you singing. Did it not go viral?” Jumin replied, still calm despite what Zen had said.

“Those two are different things!” Zen pointed out. 

“In what way?”

“Well, Seven just edited the video and posted it. But... you’re using money!”

Jumin narrowed his eyes. So it seemed Zen had a problem with the money. “I see.”

“But jeez, man, you killed the mood.”

“I just don’t understand why you won’t accept my help,” Jumin explained, though Zen didn’t seem to want to listen. “Well, it doesn’t seem to matter. You’ll make the right choice eventually.”

“What are you talking about?” Zen said. “I won’t change my mind.”

“Forget about it,” Jumin requested. “Anyways—“

“No. You can’t just change the subject like that,” Zen retorted, trying to take control of the conversation.

Jumin sighed and rested a hand on his forehead. “Then what is it?”

“Even if Rika asked you to give me help, why would you be so intent on it? You still haven’t stopped bugging me about it.”

“I told you to forget about it,” Jumin said, avoiding an answer.

“Honestly, Jumin... I’ll even accept the offer, just tell me why you keep asking about it!” Zen exclaimed in a spontaneous manner.

“You’ll accept?” Jumin said in surprise.

“Yes! Just explain yourself, please!” Zen told the older man.

Jumin observed Zen carefully again, trying to read him, though the only thing he could see was Zen’s pleading. Would the actor really stoop down to this level just f an answer out of him? Finally, he started, “It seems you’ve put me in a position where I might as well answer. I’ll tell you.” He placed his hands on the table, realizing how cold it was compared to the rest of his body. “I just want to help you.”

“Seriously? That can’t be it!” Zen said. “You have some ulterior motive, don’t you?”

“What are you talking about?” Jumin widened his eyes. “I just want to help you. There’s nothing more to it.”

“Is it because I’ll owe you something by accepting? Are you trying to take advantage?” Zen continued as his breathing quickened.

“It’s nothing like that!” Jumin finally exclaimed as he got annoyed himself. He stunned the younger one into silence. “I am not one to lie often. I want to help you. I want you to gain more exposure.”

“But you’ve never seen my musicals before,” Zen said, still trying to oppose Jumin.

“I don’t need to see you perform to know you’re good,” Jumin replied. 

“I...” Zen hadn’t received compliments like that except from Rika, but she had actually seen him on the stage, contrary to Jumin. “You’re just saying that, aren’t you?”

“No. I’ve always had a curiosity in acting that I have never delved into thoroughly,” Jumin muttered. “What kinds of shows do you do?”

“What the hell...?” Zen didn’t expect Jumin to just... flip the conversation like that. Nevertheless, he would never turn down an opportunity to talk about his work, even if it did come from the Jumin Han. “Well, I can talk about the one that I’ve been rehearsing for this past week. Though I’m not sure you’d be interested. It’s a romance musical.”

“Continue.”

“I— alright, let’s see. Basically I play this guy who’s like enemies with the girl, who ends up being the love interest.”

“I see. The classic ‘enemies to lovers’ plot,” Jumin noted.

“How do you know something like that!?” Zen exclaimed. “What do you mean ‘classic?’”

“I’m not as dense as you may assume.” Jumin frowned, though Zen thought otherwise.

“Anyways, they meet and they both hate each other. But—“

“Hate and love are two sides of the same coin. There’s only a very fine edge separating them,” Jumin monologued.

“Can you shut up for just a minute? You asked for this explanation!” Zen huffed. With a curt nod from the older man, he started to finish the summary. “But then the girl makes the first few moves, realizing that she’s in love. And I— the person I play is completely oblivious to it and still hates her.”

“What a coincidence,” Jumin muttered. Then, a bit louder so Zen could hear, he said, “Is there any reason for the hate between the two?”

“Hmm... I haven’t completely finished my character development, but... I don’t think so. It’s mostly petty things, which is so childish, huh?” Zen answered.

“Yes. I like the story. It sounds interesting,” Jumin told him.

“Seriously? You’re into romance?” Zen asked in surprise.

“Not usually. But I like this one for a different reason,” Jumin told him, Zen still oblivious to what the reason could be.

—

Soon, it had gotten very late, and Zen started to leave. Jumin had instructed Driver Kim to bring Zen to his residence. Though Zen felt it was too much to have a personal driver, of all things, he supposed it was better safe than sorry.

“See you,” Zen muttered. 

As Jumin waved a slightly awkward goodbye, he noticed Zen wasn’t leaving yet. “Do you need something?”

“Yeah, actually I do...” Zen said. Without another word, he rushed over to Jumin, causing the older man to step back in surprise, which caused his foot to touch the wall behind him. He was trapped.

“What are you...” Jumin trailed off, figuring out the answer on his own. His grey eyes momentarily moved off Zen’s as he noted the blue light radiating from the fish tank next to the dark window with the shimmer of city lights through it. “Zen... was this what occurred in your dre—“

Before he could finish, Zen had pressed his lips, very gently, against him. By _some_ sort of instinct, the corporate director briefly closed his eyes and placed his hands gently on Zen’s back. He noticed that Zen’s hands were trembling slightly as they gripped onto the fabric of Jumin’s suit. This was... he didn’t know _what_ this was. Zen was kissing Jumin. 

It was so out of the blue, that Jumin’s brain couldn’t even process what was going on before Zen quickly shoved the older man away from him. It had barely been a few seconds. “What the hell was that!?” Zen exclaimed. He rubbed his shirt sleeve on his mouth, like he had just done something disgusting.

Furrowing his eyebrows, Jumin said, “ _You_ were the one who—“

“Shut up!!” Zen interrupted. “So much for disregarding all those rumors when you really are gay.” 

“Simply because we... kissed... does not mean I’m gay,” Jumin pointed out. “And even if it did, that means you’re also—“

“Dude! Don’t say it like that! Jeez!” With a huff and without a goodbye, Zen left the penthouse, his glare still going through Jumin even after the elevator door closed. The penthouse had become filled with silence yet again. The corporate director took a deep breath. What had just happened? The more he thought about it, the less he wanted to dwell on it any longer. He needed distract himself.

Jumin started to go to where Elizabeth would usually be, but then he remembered he left her with Assistant Kang. After a call, where his assistant was awfully passive aggressive due to the time of night, he was able to pick up his cat. But even with Elizabeth the 3rd, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. Which was understandable, of course. It was well known to the RFA that Jumin didn’t have much of a love life, or any at all, in fact. And, of course, they all knew about the rumors of Jumin being gay, but did any of them believe it to be true?

After some fidgeting on his phone, Jumin clicked on the RFA messenger. He considered opening a chatroom, but what would he say? What had happened between him and Zen should stay between them. 

But before Jumin could exit the app, a ding alerted him that a chatroom had been created.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i’m saving the next chatroom for the next chapter.
> 
> anyway!! yay they kissed. not yay that it didn’t end well :((((


End file.
